An echo from the past
by keithallen
Summary: Set right after the War of the Lance, a trader who is much more than he seems finds the city he had started years ago is now under the heel of the Black Knights. Eric is determined to save his city. And so is his son, Tanthalas. Fair warming : not entirely canon
1. Chapter 1

CH 1

374 years after the Cataclysm

The thickly muscled human man with his black hair tied back in a ponytail and his nose bearing a hump form being broken long ago walked down the wooden sidewalk in a human town. His eyes that bore the look of someone who had fought too long and lost too much, wandered over to see the sign for the slave traders' on the other side of the dirt street. He stepped down the stairs of a general store and walked across the street, dodging the horse piles.

The rain cloak he wore was getting uncomfortably warm, but he had to deal with it to hide what he was carrying. The weapons he wore on his upper thighs by belts around hips hips, canted to make the weapons lower, he had acquired in the other world and he didn't want anyone seeing them. This world, Kyrnn, was the world of magic. If a wizard managed to get their hands on one, he was sure they could duplicate them.

That was the last thing he wanted, for then, he would loose a critical advantage.

For a decent sized town with a two other streets running along with the main road, he was surprised there wasn't more traffic. A horse and rider heading out of town, a wagon in front of the slave traders, a band of soldiers leaning on their spears by a buckboard wagon back by the constable's office, a blacksmith in front of his shop, talking to a couple farmers. He liked it this way, fewer people to see or remember him. It just seemed odd.

Going into the slave traders', the man noted four men, all armed with swords. Two stood in the back of the room by the entrance to the wooden cages where several elves sat in straw. Another stood by the desk a man was lounging behind, and the fourth approached him.

"Can we help you?" the guard asked.

He spoke in a heavy tone. "Name's Eric. Came to see Chas."

"About?" the guard prodded.

"Our business, not yours," Eric stated.

The bald man behind the desk sat up. "Eric Carvon?" he asked.

"Yeah," Eric replied.

"Follow me," the man said and got up to open a door beside the slave cage.

Eric followed him in. One of the slaves, a starvation thin female in a gray shift with mats in her light brown hair, lifted her head and eyed him, her eyes growing large as she follow him out of sight.

The man shut the door to the store room and said, "I'm Chas. I didn't think you were coming."

"Got held up," Eric replied. Looking around at the few crates beside some stacked barrels, he asked, "You got the gold here?"

Chas laughed. "You're joking, right? Did you bring 500 pounds of steel with you?" he asked in return.

Eric eyed him. "It's safe. You see the steel after I see the gold."

Wearing a smirk, Chas asked, "I still don't understand it. You will trade me steel for gold, even weight. Are you off in the head? You do realize steel is worth five times it's weight in gold?"

"You want to trade, or not?" Eric asked heavily.

"I'd be a fool not to. That is, if all this steel really exists, and not in the form of men waiting to ambush me. Hell, I'll even throw in a slave," he said with a chuckle. Chas' face then hardened, "But if you're planning a double cross, I'll be throwing you in the ground."

Eric ignored his threat. In an even tone, he said, "Bring the gold down to the stable. I look over the gold, you look over the steel. If we're happy, you take the steel, I take the gold and come back next year and we do it again."

"All right, meet you there in an hour," Chas agreed.

They walked out of the room, Eric scanning the room again out of habit.

"TANIS!" a female voice cried.

Eric turned to see one female elf gripping the wooden bars as she stared at him. Even for an elf she was thin, her long tangled light brown hair hung down, partially obscuring her face. The gray shift she wore hung loosely off her shoulders.

"Tanis, you have to get me out of here!" she cried.

"Name's not Tanis, lady," Eric told her. He walked on, heading for the door.

"Tanis, STOP! You have to help me!"

"SHUT UP, slave!" a guard barked, and smacked the bars with the flat of his sword.

Chas laughed and said, "Let her out. Hey, Eric, here's the slave I promised you."

Eric had made it to the doorway. He turned to see the guard opening the cage door. "No need, don't want one," he said.

The door opened and the scraggly elf in a gray shift raced over and ran into him hard enough to make him stumble as she hugged him. Chas laughed.

Eric pulled the elf off him and cast Chas a frown.

"A crazy bitch she is, but she should be good for something," Chas said, then mimicked holding something in his hands as she bounced them back and forth in front of his crotch, which got the guards laughing.

"Tanis, don't you know who I am?" the elf asked in a whine, casting Eric a pleading gaze.

"No clue, and stop calling me that! The name's Eric!" Eric barked.

"I'm your princess, Laurana!" the elf insisted, which brought more chuckles from the men.

"Got her sold twice, and she didn't last the day," Chas said, grinning broadly. "The men who bought her accepted only half their money in return just so I'd take her back."

Eric glowered at him. To the elf he asked, "Can you do any work?"

The elf frowned at him, casting him an indignant look and said, "Me? I'm a princess, I don't work!" 

"Right. Back in the cage," Eric said, spinning her around.

"Wait, no, no! I'll work! Just don't put me back in there!" she cried as she struggled.

Eric let her go. To Chas, he said, "You get her back after I'm loaded up to go."

Grinning broadly, Chas nodded.

.

"I knew you'd save me," the elf said, fawning over Eric as they crossed the street. In a more conspiratorial tone, she said, "And I know why you can't admit to who you are. There are plenty of people who would just love to hold you for ransom too, isn't there? You want me to call you Eric in front of other people. That's OK..."

This was one of the reasons Eric hated coming back to Krynn, people here were crazy. Unfortunately, it was the only place where he could sell cheap steel for gold. The dimensional portal he had allowed him to cross between North America, and Krynn. Carrying steel here, and gold back, he was making himself very wealthy.

"...Tanis, Tanis, are you listening to me?" the elf asked in a hiss.

Eric grumbled. "OK, look," he said, stopping to glare at her. "My name really is Eric. I'm not Tanis, and you certainly are NOT Laurana. You got that?"

"All right then, who am I?" she asked, staring back at him.

"I don't know," Eric replied firmly.

"I KNOW who I am."

"You're really whacked in the head."

Drawing herself up, the elf said, "What is my name then?"

Eric didn't have time for this. "Pick one!" he spat, and headed for the stables.

Thankfully, Eric managed to get to the stables without hearing any more crazy talk from the elf. The stable master had fed and watered his horse, leaving the animal hitched to the wagon as Eric requested. Going to the back of the wagon, Eric climbed in and moved his supplies away from the compartment under and behind the seat, then climbed out.

The elf grabbed a keg, wrapping her thin arms around it as she struggled to try and pull it off the back.

"What are you doing?" Eric asked, frowning at her.

Frowning back at him, the elf said, "You want to unload this wagon, right?"

"No, leave that where it is."

"Then why are you moving stuff around?" she asked. "You wanted me to work, didn't you?"

" Just ... sit down," Eric said, not knowing what else to do with her. Going over to the railing around the stable yard, Eric propped up a foot on the lower rail and looked down the street towards the Slave Traders. He noticed a couple guards coming out to the wagon parked there.

The stable master, a middle aged man with a paunch, came over to Eric. "Staying the night?" he asked.

"If I'm lucky, no,"

"I hate to charge ya for just feeding and watering, but..." the man said hesitantly.

Eric dug into his clothes and pulled out a silver coin. "Will this do?"

"Sure. Thanks mister."

Eric continued to watch down the street as the guards and Chas mounted the wagon.

"I'm hungry, any food in this wagon of yours?" the elf called over to him.

"Got jerky in that bag hanging off the seat. Don't eat it all," Eric called back as he watched the street. Chas and his band were heading this way.

"How about something to drink?"

"Water canteen should be right there by the jerky," Eric said as he watched the wagon turn between some buildings.

"Want some?"

"No."

A couple moments later, the wagons reappeared on the street and came down to the stable yard. Eric went over behind his wagon as the elf was attacking the jerky. Sitting in the empty place by the seat he'd made, she munched it down like she hadn't eaten in days.

Chas pulled his wagon up along side Erics'. Watching the elf stuff her face, he cracked a grin. "Feeding her already? She already ate this morning," he said with a crooked grin.

"The gold?" Eric asked.

Chas got down, and so did his guards. Eric looked to see a bag in the middle of the wagon floor. Chas climbed in the back, opened the bag and produced a handful of gold coins. "Got your gold, where's the steel?"

Eric got up on the wagon with Chas and checked the bag. It was indeed full of gold coins. "No five hundred pounds here, two and a half at the most. I'll still trade you even up," he mussed.

Eric went over on his own wagon. He got out the scales and set them on a keg, then picked up the elf and planted her on the seat to get her out of the way. Reaching down, he pulled up a couple floor boards and began taking out two by four inch steel bars a foot long. He got out ten, then motioned to the scale.

"Check that scale then we'll put steel on one side, gold on the other," he told Chas.

Chas' eyes were riveted on the steel. "You really got five hundred pounds there, huh?"

The greedy look in Chas' eye told Eric this deal was about to go bad. Two of his guards were holding crossbows in his general direction.

"I got enough to trade ya," Eric said, eyeing the guards.

Chas looked around, then waved a hand, beckoning Eric to continue. "Bring it all out," he said.

"Put some gold on that scale, first," Eric said evenly.

Chas grew an unpleasant smile. "Seems like you made a big mistake. You've got no one to cover your back, do ya?" he asked.

"You might wanna think twice about trying to cheat me," Eric warned. "Do yourself a favor, stick to the deal."

"I think we'll make a new deal," Chas said. "You hop off that wagon and walk away, and you get to live."

"It's gonna be like that, huh?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, it's gonna be like that," Chas said in a hard tone. "Get down. We don't wanna kill you unless we have to."

Eric started walking toward the back. The crossbows came up. He stopped. Glancing down the street he noticed that the soldiers and wagon was gone.

"Get off the front," Chas stated heavily as he drew a sword.

"Do you believe in a God? You're askin to meet him." Eric asked as he glanced at the guards. Only two had crossbows and they were on either side of Chas. The other two stood with their hands on the pommels of their swords, looking smug.

"Boys, if he doesn't turn around and get off that wagon, kill him," Chas growled.

"Suppose you want the gold in my purse too, huh?" Eric asked heavily as he stared Chas down.

With a sneer, Chas said, "Yeah, why not. Let's have it."

"You got it," Eric stated. He reached into his cloak. Instead of his belt purse, he pulled a .50 caliber revolver. He crouched as he shot, palming the hammer and pulling the trigger in quick succession. Chas recoiled as the back of his head blew out, then one crossbow bearing guard took a bullet to the head. The other jerked his trigger, sending a bolt flying past Eric just before Eric blew his head apart.

The blasts spooked the horses. The horse on Eric's wagon shuffled nervously in place, the one hitched to the other wagon bolted. In two running steps, Eric jumped off his wagon to land and point his pistol at the two remaining guards that stood with shocked looks on their faces.

"You might wanna try your luck with those swords, then again, ya might not," Eric told them.

The guards responded. They fled.

The yard gate was closed. The horse that bolted ran around the stable yard, looking for a way out. When the wagon tipped over from his frantic attempt at escape, the horse struggled, whinnying as it kicked at the wagon. It broke loose and got a good galloping start and jumped the fence to thunder off down the road.

Eric noted his scales had tipped over. Holstering his pistol, he pointed to the back of his wagon and told the startled elf gapping at him, "Put the steel away, and straighten things up back there."

Climbing up on the seat, Eric drove his wagon over beside the tipped wagon. He dragged what was left of the gold in the bag over to his wagon and hefted it on. Maybe two hundred pounds were in the bag. On the ground, Eric figured there was maybe another twenty. He also noticed people were coming out. Including the constable and a pack of soldiers.

"What... was that?" the elf asked in a squeak.

"Deal gone bad," Eric stated. He got back up on the seat and drove to the gate, which a perplexed Stable Master opened for him.

Jerking his thumb back at the tipped wagon, Eric said, "Sorry for the mess, whatever is left there is yours."

Leaving the stable yard, Eric made a point to drive away from the constable and his men. Someone called for him to stop. Fat chance. Eric snapped the reins. "Ya!"

Thankfully, this was the way he wanted to go anyway.

.

Eric was expecting to be chased. He wasn't disappointed. Right after he cleared the town, a pair of riders were galloping after him. He waited until they were closing on him, then stood up, pulled his pistol and aimed low on the lead horse. His shot hit it and the horse folded, pitching the rider off and sending his sword flying. The other rider reined back and decided not to follow him.

Eric then noticed the elf was staring at him.

"You ... are a wizard?" she asked in disbelief.

Eric eyed her. "Nope." He looked back to see the gold still where he'd put it. The steel bars were now scattered in the back of the wagon. "Put that steel away and drag that gold up under the seat, would ya?" he asked.

"But, you have magic, you MUST be a wizard." she stated.

"Do what I ask or I toss you off," Eric replied.

With a grumble, the elf climbed in the back. "You could at least stop and make this easier!" she complained. Then after a moment, "This stuff it heavy!"

Eric ignored her.

.

Eric drove the wagon for the rest of the day. Coming upon a village, he drove straight through. When he got to an intersection, he took the most traveled path. A while later he came upon a stream. The sun was getting low in the sky, it was time to stop. He drove the wagon into a field, just off the road and parked behind some bushes.

Eric tethered the horse near the stream and made camp. As the elf helped him make a fire circle, he began to notice the smell wafting off her.

"Haven't bathed much, huh?" he asked.

"Slaves don't get to bathe," she replied, eyeing him.

"Stream's right over there," he said, nodding his head towards it.

The elf banged a rock down in place. Eyeing him with tears in her eyes, she said, "You're not really Tanis, are you? You're just another ... HUMAN who wants to have his fun with me, right?"

Eric let out a huff. No wonder no one wanted her. "Look lady, I already told you my name is Eric. And I hate to tell you, but you're filthy, skinny, and too nuts for me to even think about getting in the sack. You DO smell, so either you can go wash up, or I can drag you over there and wash you up!"

The elf backed off and balled her fists at her side as she yelled, "I don't like you either! I'm leaving!"

Eric waved his fingers at her. "Bye."

The elf stomped off for the road.

Eric let out a sigh of relief. He really hadn't planned on having an escort. It was bad enough that deal went sour. He was hoping for more trading partners. Getting up, he thought as he collected some firewood. A week or so down the road, he could still get that Black Knight to buy some steel. Although Eric didn't care about how he was 'helping the cause', he did like that the knight dealt squarely with him.

Getting an armload of sticks, Eric returned to his camp. The elf was sitting against one of the wagon wheels hugging herself.

"I thought you left?" Eric asked as he dropped his load by the ring of stones.

"IF you apologize, I'll stay," the elf said haughtily.

Eric started breaking sticks down to start a fire. He got a fire built and a pot of water over it to boil. Getting into the back of the wagon, he found the empty jerky bag. She'd scarfed it all down. Figured. He opened a barrel of salt pork and grabbed a chunk or meat.

Eric put the meat in the water, then went over and grabbed the elf by an arm and led her to the stream.

"What are you doing?" the elf asked as she stumbled along, resisting is pull.

Eric answer her by scooping her up in a bride's carry, walking into the stream, and dropping her in the water. She hit the water with a look of shock on her face. For some reason the look on her face just as the water parted in a splash, then covered her up, was hilarious. Eric leaned back and let out a roar of laughter.

Arms and legs flailing, the elf got her feet under her and stood up, sputtering water and curses. "You... you... BARBARIAN!" she screamed.

Eric quieted his laughter. "Need help washing?" he asked.

The elf rammed into him, trying to push him down. Eric barely moved from the attempt. She tried again, giving him her hardest shove. He twisted and pushed her arm aside, causing her to dive in again. In a swim/crawl she scrambled for the bank, hacking out coughs.

"Oh no," Eric said and grabbed the back of her shift. Pulling her back to him he said, "Wash first, that shift too. I'll get you a blanket." He pulled her backwards to fall on her butt and waded out.

The elf started crying as she sat in the water up to her shoulders. "You hate me, don't you! You're going to torture me next, right?" she wailed in sobs.

"Yeah, it's called making you sit and eat after you wash," Eric called back. "Hurry up before you freeze."

.

Eric kept his back to the steam as the elf spit curses at him. He did listen for splashing that indicated she was at least moving water around to get somewhat clean. "Your clothes too," he told the fire loudly. "Dunk it and wring it out a few times."

By the sounds coming from her, Eric chuckled at a thought of the expression: 'madder than a wet hen'.

The water was warming up. Eric bend and flexed the meat to crack the salt covering, picking off bits as it loosened up.

"I'm done, and I'm cold!" the elf announced.

Eric got up and retrieved a blanket. Watching the blanket as he unfolded it on his way to the stream, he couldn't help by see the elf standing on the bank, holding her soaked shift. As he saw her he stopped and gapped.

Eric knew she was thin. Now he saw how thin she really was. Not only could he see all her ribs, but her hip bones as well. Her arms were toothpicks. Her breasts were no more than nipples on flaps of skin. Her knees even stuck out. He wrapped the blanket around her and took the shift.

"Didn't feel you much, did they?" he asked without thinking.

"They wanted to keep me weak and helpless," she replied.

"Dinner's not ready yet, just ... go sit down by the fire," he told her. He wrung out the shift and laid it over a bush to dry. No wonder she had wolfed down the entire bag of jerky, the girl was starving.

The elf sat by the fire as Eric removed the salt covering on the meat. Once he had the salt removed, he pulled the meat out. The elf reached for it.

"Not yet," he said firmly, pulling it back out of her reach. "It's not done, you'll get sick if you try eating it now," he explained. To keep her from chowing down on the raw meat, he motioned to the wagon. "Got some vegetables in the box, left side, bout halfway back on the bed."

With a groan, the elf said, "Princess don't do common work," as she cast him haughty look.

"If you want to eat, you'll get to it," Eric countered.

The elf got up scowling at him. "Why are you treating me so terribly?" she asked indignantly.

"Because you're a pain in the ass. Move," Eric growled.

The elf stomped off toward the wagon. Eric dropped the meat on a stone, then dumped the salt water and refilled the pot half way from the stream.

With a knife, Eric chunked up the meat, then hacked up the vegetables and dumped them in. Eyeing the elf, he said, "You'll be doing this tomorrow."

"I never learned how to cook," she replied.

"Ain't hard. Just watch."

Eric stayed busy as the elf sat by the fire. He loaded some more wood on the fire, fed the horse, and dug a latrine pit. Looking up at the sky, he noticed more clouds were coming in. He set up the cover over the wagon and moved the supplies around so there was a place to lie down.

Steam rolling out of the pot and the aroma told Eric the stew was almost ready. In his kit, he only had one bowl and a deep dish plate. He grabbed them both and his two spoons.

Sitting down, Eric scooped a bowl of stew from the pot and handed it to the elf. The elf took a big spoon full and immediately spit it back out.

"Hot!" she cried.

"No shit," Eric grumbled. "Take smaller bites, and blow on it." He scoped up some stew with his plate. He didn't get much, but there was always more.

They ate for a while, each in their own thoughts. Eric finally said, "What do I call you? I can't just call you 'elf'."

"My name is Princess Laurana," the elf stated.

Eric rolled his eyes as he said, "It is not."

"Yes it is!" the elf insisted.

"I saw the Golden General, and you ain't her. SO, what is your name?" Eric asked in a hard tone.

Trying her best to cast him a regal stare, she asked, "What do you want to call me then?"

'Whacked in the head' was Eric's first thought. There was something wrong with this elf, she wasn't normal. That gave him an idea. Cracking a grin, he said, "Abby."

"Abby?" the elf asked, eyeing him.

Eric nodded. "Abby Normal. That's a good name for you. A proud name you should carry with dignity," he said, his eyebrow twitching from wanting to laugh.

"I've never head of anyone with the name of Abby before," she said cautiously.

Waving a hand at her, Eric said, "That makes you special then, doesn't it?"

The elf cocked her head in thought, then nodded. "OK fine, as long as I'm special," she agreed.

Looking down on her empty bowl, she held it out to Eric. "Tanis, may I have some more?"

"Name's Eric. Get it right, and you can have all the stew you want."

"Fine , Eric," she said, stressing his name. "May I have some more?"

"Sure, just dip your bowl in the pot," he told her.


	2. Chapter 2

CH 2

In their travels over the next few days, Eric got Abby to make dinner and feed the horse. Besides thread-bare shift, he gave her his spare shirt to wear, which covered her more than that shift did. Although Eric wasn't really thrilled about sharing his blankets with Abby, he had only planned on a solo trip and didn't have much choice. Abby was bone-thin and it was uncomfortable when she cuddled up to him. It was like sleeping with an animated skeleton.

The third night, Abby got in and snuggled up to him. He faced away from her as usual. Instead of passing right out as she had been doing, Abby stayed awake.

"Eric, why haven't you taken liberties with me?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, turning his head over to look at her.

"Why aren't you taking me? Most men, that's all they want, then send me back to my cage. You let me stay with you all night, nice and warm, but you don't do anything with me."

Eric noted a strange tone in her voice, like she was disappointed. His first thought of, 'You're too damn thin, and too damn nuts', he decided not to voice. Instead, he offered, "Abby, I barely know you. And it wouldn't be right to do something like that unless I cared for you." Yeah, that sounded reasonable.

"You don't care about me?" she asked in shock.

Uh oh. Not want to spend the night fighting, Eric offered, "Not like that. Look, I do care about your well being. I'll get you to someplace safe, there's a couple towns I know where someone can take you to Qualinesti, or some other elven city."

A small fist smack him in the shoulder. Then she sat up and pummeled him with her fists wearing an enraged look.

"Whoa, whoa!" Eric cried. It took a few times, but he stopped her by grabbing her flailing wrists. "What in the hell is wrong with you!" he roared.

"How dare you sleep with me and tell me you don't care about me!" Abby wailed. She then broke down in tears.

"Lady, you are really screwed in the head," Eric stated. "In case you forget, That Chas guy shoved you onto me. I suspect at least partially to get me distracted. You're sleeping with me because there is only ONE blanket, and I didn't want you to freeze. You eat my food, you are wearing my shirt and riding on my wagon. The least you can do is NOT beat on me!"

"You're no hero!" Abby barked out between sobs.

"Never said I was," Eric countered. "Calm down and go to sleep, will ya?"

Abby wrestled her arms free and with a growl she flopped down with her back to Eric. "Don't talk to me!" she snapped.

"Good night to you too," Eric replied, and settled back down.

.

Eric was never so glad to see the rising walls of a castle in front of him. The village around it was small, but inside, he could have some kind of real bed, sleep by himself, and relax with a mug of ale. Best of all, he'd have someone to talk to that wasn't a crazy elf.

Eric drove up to the main gate, reining back just off the drawbridge as the guards watched him from above.

"Hello," Eric called. "I'm Eric Carvon, I come to do some business with Sir Ralstat."

"Is this one of our castles?" Abby asked.

"Abby," Eric said heavily. "Do us both a big favor, don't speak while we're here."

Abby nodded. "I will remain your silent and beautiful companion," she stated.

Eric cleared his throat.

A guard in chain mail came to the entryway motioned them forward. Eric drove up to him.

Motioning, the guard said, "Park you wagon over there by the stables. I'll take you to Sir Ralstat."

Eric nodded and did as he asked. Getting off the wagon Eric gave Abby a stern look. "Remember, say nothing."

Abby nodded slightly., not quite looking at him.

Eric followed the guard inside the keep, down a hallway lined with suits of armor and into what looked like a miniature throne room. On a large wooden chair, the dark haired man in chain mail got up and offered Eric a smile.

"Eric Carvon, good to see you!" Sir Ralstat said happily. "I take it you have steel to trade?"

"All you want, if you got the gold," Eric said, shaking his hand.

Eyeing him, Sir Ralstat said, "I'll never get why you sell your steel so inexpensively, but I'm not complaining. Your steel will help us regain what is rightfully ours."

"I'm glad," Eric offered with a smile, not caring what this knight did with it. "Truth is, I need the gold more than I need the steel, and the opposite is true of you, so we're both happy."

Waggling a finger at him, Sir Ralstat bore a smirk as he said, "I don't quite believe you. I think you are a true believer, but don't want to admit to it. That's fine, Sir, I'm sure Takhasis knows of your contributions. How much did you bring this time?"

"Got five hundred pounds. Like I said, all you want," Eric assured him.

Sir Ralstat's eyes opened wide. "I should say! I'm afraid we don't have that much gold. Are you willing to take anything else in trade? We have fine horses, a wonderful tailor, and if you want a new, sturdier wagon, I'll have one built to your specifications. Maybe a guard force to escort you?" he coaxed.

Eric rubbed his chin in thought. "What I'd really like is a couple days off the road. You know, bath, a real bed to sleep in. Food cooked by someone else beside me."

Sir Ralstat laughed. "You'll have that anyway!" he assured Eric. "Please, think about what we can do for you. I really need all the steel I can get."

"You know, there is one thing you can help me with," Eric mussed. "I picked up a slave girl, her name's Abby. Ain't got any clothes, and she looks horrid. Suppose you could have someone clean her up and dress her up decent? Say, a few extra sets of clothes too ... for a bar of steel in exchange?"

Sir Ralstat chuckled again. "Mr. Carvon, for that price, we will turn that girl of yours into a Princess!"

Eric winced. That was the last thing he wanted Abby to hear. "Please don't say that," he begged. "Just getting her looking decent will be plenty."

"You are a true believer, maybe even a dark saint," Sir Ralstat said with a gleam in his eye. "Let's get down to business, then we'll celebrate with dinner and dancing girls!"

.

Eric was nervous about the handmaidens carting Abby off, and prayed she would not start spouting off her crazy talk. His horse was put in the stables, and the wagon was rolled into a single log barn with guards put on the doors.

Getting his scale out, Eric watched a scribe check it for accuracy. Four guards came in carrying a chest – all the gold Sir Ralstat had. A bar of steel was put on one side of the scales, then gold coins were added to the other. Then the scribe took the steel bar off to lay it behind him, and Eric took the gold to add it to a plain box he had.

This went on until the chest was empty, and twenty steel bars were stacked behind the scribe. In the last scale load, the gold didn't quite match the weight of the steel. Eric waved it off, letting the scribe take the bar. At the factory in Illinois Eric dealt with, that steel bar only cost him one of those gold coins. Eric then added another steel bar for the deal he made with Sir Ralstat to clean Abby up.

.

Once the dealing was done, two guards stayed inside the barn, barring the doors. Another pair stood watch outside the barn. Eric went in to get some refreshment.

Sir Ralstat was a good host, and had thrown a party for Eric. Serving girls dressed in loose peasant blouses with low necklines came offering Eric snacks, and to refill his mug. All of them bent low enough to show him some good eye-candy. Eric was loving this. He talked to one of the prettier serving girls, wondering if she was free for the night.

"Sir Carvon, you must see what has become of Lady Normal!" Sir Ralstat called from a group of men.

Eric turned and looked for Abby. He saw men, serving girls and a few Ladies dressed up. One was slim and very pretty. It took Eric a minute to figure out the pretty noblewoman walking towards him was Abby.

Eric's jaw dropped, and his mug hit the floor. "Dear God," he whispered.

Abby was wrapped in a dark blue dress that hugged her slim waist and fell full to her blue slippers. Silver stitching ran around the top of her hips and under her bust line and along the 'V' of her neckline, accentuating her small breasts. Her light brown hair was done up in cascading waves, her head topped with a band that bore a red jewel positioned atop her forehead. With some makeup to line her eyes, bring out the up sweep of her eyebrows, slight blushing on her cheeks, and the small silver earrings, Abby looked gorgeous.

She also looked very familiar. The last time he remembered seeing that face was on an elf woman he had been in love with, and died badly long ago. Gapping at the face of his lost love, Eric couldn't speak.

Abby smirked at his reaction. Holding her dress out to the sides, Abby curtsied and bowed her head, saying, "Good evening, Sir Carvon. I take it my look pleases you?"

"I do believe Sir Carvon is impressed," Sir Ralstat said, to which other men agreed with chuckles.

Eric tried to speak, but nothing would come out as he gazed at Abby. Common sense told him that this was not Elanza, but damn, Abby was the spittin image of her!

"Someone better lead Sir Carvon to a chair before he falls down," someone quipped.

Abby offered Eric her arm, looking very happy at his reaction to her. "Sir, will you show a Lady to her seat?" she asked.

Eric took her arm and tucked it under his mechanically as he continued to stare at her. This was the girl he had spent the last week with? It didn't seem possible!

As Abby steered Eric around a table to keep him from running into it, Eric continued to gaze at her. At the dinning table, Abby paused and looked at a chair. Eric automatically pulled it out for her. She took her seat with grace.

Once he lost sight of her face, Eric's mind began working again. This was Abby. Of course, elven women would look similar, he was only imagining things. A captivating as Abby was, he had to remind himself who she was – a loony elf he had to dump off someplace safe.

"I take it my handmaidens did a good job?" a light haired woman asked with a smirk.

Eric looked at her. Right, Lady Ralstat. "They performed a miracle, M'Lady," Eric said sincerely.

"I'm having three dresses and five sets of traveling clothes made for Lady Normal, and a good sturdy pair of traveling boots, as well as shoes to match the dresses," Lady Ralstat explained.

"Thank you, very much," Eric replied.

Raising his cup to indicate Abby's head band, Sir Ralsat said, "The jewel came from my lady's own collection. Quite a pretty bauble, don't you think?" he asked.

"It's amazing," Eric agreed, thinking of Abby's new look.

"You may want that armed escort I offered," Sir Ralstat coaxed. "If no other reason, than to help beat off men who would like to get at Lady Normal."

His words Key Eric's memory.

_Eric rode up to the elven wagon, sword drawn and ready to fight. The elves were already dead, lying about in the mud of the road. Seeing a pack of humans over a form, Eric charged them with a war cry. He passed through the group swinging. He chopped one on the head, splitting his skull. His horse went down. Eric tumbled and got to his feet to meet the men coming at him. It was then he noticed a form on the ground. A woman, beaten and her clothes were torn open. Eric charged into them with a cry of rage. He lashed out, chopping the sword arm from one man, running through another to pull his sword free and swing hard at a third, ripping his chest open._

_ One of the men drove his blade into Eric's stomach. Eric beheaded him, then fell from the pain. Struggling up, he eyed the last two facing him with pure hate as he pulled the sword out of himself and tossed it aside.. The men thought better of fighting him and fled. Eric stumbled over to kneel by the woman lying in the mud. Even though her face was swollen from bruising, he recognize Elanza._

"Eric?" Abby asked as she laid a hand on his arm. "Don't you think that would be a good idea?" she asked.

"Ahh," Eric said, getting his mind back into the present. "Don't know if any amount of men will make a difference if someone is determined," he said.

"Eric does have magic. He killed two men who had their crossbows pointed right at him." Abby said proudly.

Sir Ralstat's eyebrow lifted. "Is that so?" he asked.

"They were horrible shots," Eric said quickly.

"Still to face and kill two men who had range weapons is not an easy task," Sir Ralstat said.

"It wasn't two, it was five," Abby said. "Eric got three, the last two ran away."

Hearing this, Sir Ralstat said, "Sir Carvon, you must join us in the fight! I know you are doing your part as a trader, but I would be proud to have you as one of my soldiers."

Eric cringed. "Trading is good enough for me. I don't like fighting," he explained. "Beside, if I don't ... do the grunge work, who will?" he said, trying to get out of the offer.

"Brave and humble," Sir Ralstat said, eyeing Eric. "You know the humble man never gets the glory."

"I've had enough glory, thank you very much. I'd kinda like to avoid any more," Eric replied.

Sir Ralstat nodded and let it drop, or so Eric thought. After dinner as the women left and the dancing girls came in, Sir Ratstat took a seat beside Eric and quietly asked, "What are you hiding from?"

"Hiding?" Eric asked.

"Yes," Sir Ralstat said smoothly. "You have a great amount of what everyone craves, steel. I highly doubt you mine the iron and forge it yourself, so you must be wealthy. You obviously have the power to defeat enemies, and I do believe that you have fought wars in the past. You do not get such a muscular build from merely trading. Unless I miss my guess, you could easily put an army in the field should you so desire. What happened that made you turn away from being a warrior?"

Eric watched a shapely dancer wearing little but sheers trailing off her as she danced across the floor. "Maybe I had a bit too much of it. Maybe I'm tired of being soaked in other people's blood, hearing the wounded screaming in pain, tripping over the bodies that are so thick you can't see the ground under them," he mussed.

"War is a horrible thing," Sir Ralstat said absently, "But it is honorable and the only way to defeat your enemies. I've learned that you cannot avoid battle. If you do not go it it, it comes to you. I'd rather not fight on my own doorstep."

"I got a good thing going here, I don't plan on screwing it up by getting involved with a war," Eric told him flatly.

"Pity," Sir Ralstat mussed. "Perhaps some day, Takhasis will show you the Way."

.

After one day at Ralstat's castle, Eric decided it was time to move on. He'd had a hot bath, slept in comfort in a real bed, and was given two sets of clothes, as well as a 'nice' set of visiting clothes that reminded him of a nobleman - and that he would never wear. Abby wore traveling leathers and a sun hat as Eric waved goodbye to Sir Ralstat and his Lady. Although he'd refused an armed escort, Sir Ralstat still had six armored men escort him to the borders of his land. The the guards peeled away at the crossing to a stream.

With more gold that steel left in his wagon, Eric was pleased with the trade. He had about two hundred fifty pound of steel left, and close to five hundred pounds in gold.

"Where are we going now?" Abby asked.

"Heading south east," Eric told her. "I know another knight who wants steel and can afford it.

His name's Sir Mondar. He's a Solamnic knight, so don't go saying anything about Sir Ralstat to him. They are bitter enemies."

"You sell to both sides?" Abby asked, eyed him.

"Don't care who's on what side. I do care who has the gold," Eric replied.

"How far away is he?"

"Bout three weeks on the road. In about a week, we'll hit the road to Solace, then head south. Should reach Solace a few days after that, then another week or so, and we'll be there."

"There's no one closer?' Abby asked, cringing at the miles she'd have to spent sitting on this wagon.

"There is, but Sir Mondar lives fairly close to Gateway, and east of there is Elven territory."

"We're going to visit elves?" Abby asked with a look of excitement on her face.

"You are. I'm sure Sir Mondar will make the arrangements for a bar or two of steel."

"Aren't you coming with me?" Abby asked. "I mean, I've heard free elves have some really wonderful things."

Eric frowned at his memories and said, "They don't like me. It's best someone else take you."

"I thought I was yours. Doesn't that mean we have to stay together?" Abby asked.

"You need to go see how real elves live," Eric said firmly.

"I am a real elf," Abby said indignantly.

"All the more reason you need to go."

"So I can admit who I am when I get there?"

"Have at it."

All this talk of elves, and now Abby's strange resemblance to Elanza that he could not ignore, caused Eric to fall into a depressed silence. He couldn't help but think about the elf woman he'd loved so long ago.


	3. Chapter 3

CH3

57 years after the Cataclysm, the town of Gateway was truly becoming a town and no longer a collection of surviving clans. Eric Carvon had managed to gather the clan leaders into a council, assuring them that each clan would be represented in the town's dealings, but each clan must respect each other. Due to Eric being a loner, yet very good at making people see reason, the clans agreed to make him the leader and arbitrator for Gateway.

Eric made great progress, including the first non-combat meeting with the elves to the east. By mutual agreement, each side brought ten warriors to escort representatives. Eric had a single table with two chairs to be set in a clearing beside the road. Sitting down, Eric had his men stand behind him showing only shields, no weapons.

An hour after he arrived, The elves came creeping through the woods. Eric sat at the table on his side and folded his hands on the table before him to show he was not armed

The warrior elves stayed back in the trees. Only a single tall, proud looking elf came forward. The elf kept his hand on the pommel of his sword as he eyed the humans.

"You speak common, I hope?" Eric asked.

The elf cast his cold gaze down on Eric. "Yes," he said slowly.

"Good. I'm Eric." Motioning to the seat across from him he said, "Sit down, let's talk."

"And why would I talk to a human that is attempting to invade our lands?" the elf asked heavily.

"We're not trying to invade anyone," Eric stated. "We just want a place to live, we didn't know elves were here. That is, until you attacked us. When we're attacked we do respond in kind. I think an arrangement can be made we can both profit from, instead of killing each other."

"We will NOT have humans in the Qualinesti!" The elf stated.

"Fine, what about right here, where I'm sitting? I don't see any elven settlements here, or behind me towards town," Eric countered.

"This is our land," the elf stated. "If you want peace, then move away someplace else."

Eric rubbed his chin. "And you're the best negotiator the elves have?" he asked.

The elf took a breath and said, "I came not to bargain away our homeland, but to ask that you leave. We do not enjoy the killing either. It would be best for everyone if you humans would go away."

"It wouldn't be best for us," Eric told him. "We've traveled a very long way, seeking good farmlands. We need the lands we're on, for farming and for timber. We're not moving. Even if we did, someone else would come right on in behind us."

"Then we will also show those humans intruders will not be tolerated," the elf stated.

"And you'll be at war once again," Eric said firmly. "Humans are spreading because we have to. I don't know about you, but I do get rather tired of fighting."

That seemed to affect the elf. His eyes lost their hardness. "I also tire of the constant conflict," he admitted.

"Then let's do something about it. Right here, right now, today," Eric said tapping the table.

"What do you propose?" the elf asked.

"We need a place to live. You don't want humans heading east of here, correct?" Eric asked.

The elf nodded, then said, "Or here."

"What if we compromise? Let us live here and continue our town and farms in peace. In return, We will make sure no one crosses the line into your territory. We set up boundaries and enforce them. I'll put the guards on the border myself."

"And I am to trust a human?" the elf asked.

Eric shrugged and said, "I'll be trusting you not to attack us while we're guarding your borders."

"And what's to stop you from building an army to continue your invasion?" the elf asked.

"For what purpose?" Eric asked. "All that's behind you ... for miles, is nothing but woodland. Empty woodland. The fertile fields are by the town and down in the valleys. We have nothing to gain by invading your territory. If you think we're trying to build an army then come down and look for yourselves. I will grant safe passage for any elf that does not mean harm."

The elf raised an eyebrow. "You will allow us to inspect your lands?" he asked cautiously.

"We got nothing to hide, come whenever you want as long as you come in peace." Eric told him.

"You would allow me into your town?" the elf asked warily.

Eric nodded. "Yes, but let my men go first so we can tell people not to shoot at you."

"And there will be no traps set for us?"

"I'll stay right with you, if there are any traps, I can be your first kill," Eric stated.

The elf pondered a moment as he eyed Eric down his nose. He scanned the men a few dozen yards behind Eric, then said, "Where you are now, is the border. I will allow a truce for the moment. Come no closer, and we will not fight you. For the moment. I will return." The elf then turned and walked away.

Eric watching him return into the woods. The elves walked away. Getting up, Eric pointed to soldiers as he said, "You, return to town, tell the council members we need to have a meeting. You two, walk straight away to both sides, note where this border is. We'll be setting up patrols along it. Your four, got get more men, I want a guard post set on this path, behind where that table is. The rest of you, make a camp. No one is to go beyond that table."

.

The council was hesitant, but Eric got them to agree on the terms of peace. Eric stressed that this was temporary, but he felt he had made progress. Through the council, word was passed down to the population about the treaty, and as stressed by Eric, no one was to assault an elf unless they attacked first.

Four days after the initial contact, a runner came into town announcing a party of elves were coming. Eric went out to meet the group. The stern faced elf was there, along with an older white haired elf and a troop of twenty bow carrying elves. The armed elves had their weapons strung across their backs as they warily eyed the humans who watched them with hard looks.

"Welcome," Eric called. "I didn't get your name last time."

The older elf came up to Eric. "You are the human that proposes peace?" he asked.

"That's me. Eric Carvon," Eric said, extending his hand.

The older elf ignored his hand. "What do we have to gain from this peace, besides having a chunk of our territory taken from us?" he asked.

Behind him, Eric heard the murmur of a few unhappy men. Eric turned to them and barked, "That's enough!" Turning back to the elf, he said, "Security. As I told the younger elf there, we'll guard the borders near our town and make sure no settlers, or anyone else goes into your territory. If need be, we'll fight to keep them out."

"But we've seen your soldiers in the woods," the older elf stated.

"Right where he," Eric said indicating the younger elf, "Set the border at. So far, we've only had to stop a few hunters from heading that way. One was jailed for fighting with the guards."

The older elf eyed him appraisingly. Slowly, he said, "You are unusual for a human, Eric Carvon. And apparently you do mean what you say. What of those leaders who follow you? I have learned that every forty or fifty years or so, new humans take charge, and previous agreements seem to be ignored."

"True, most of the time," Eric agreed. Pulling his sleeve back, he offered his bare arm and said, "Stab me."

The elves looked at each other.

"Go on," Eric coaxed, then turned to the men around him and announced, "No one will interfere!"

The younger elf who'd met him in the field drew a knife and looked cautiously at the human gathering around them.

"They will do nothing. Stab me." Eric stated.

The elf did, driving his blade deep into Eric's forearm, then yanked it out. Eric winced at the pain. He also heard a couple sword being drawn.

"Stay your hand!" Eric barked. To the elder elf, he said, "Observe," as he tipped his injured arm up for the elder elf to see.

As they watched, the blood flow slowed, then stopped. Eric wiped his arm off to show the wound had closed up.

"I was born thirty years or so before the Cataclysm," Eric told them. "I'm around a hundred now, and I still show no signs of aging. Any wound I get, heals very quickly. Don't ask me why, I don't know myself. All I know is that as long as I'm here, our treaty will stand."

The older elf nodded. "It seems you are not a normal human. I will go back to my brother and propose our treaty with you be honored, so long as you rule this land."

"Agreed," Eric said, and offered his hand again.

This time, the elf took his hand and gave it one shake.

"Do you care to stay for the night? I can have accommodations arraigned," Eric offered.

"Your gesture is noted. We prefer our own forest," the elder elf said, and led his troops back the way they came.

One of the clan leaders came up to Eric and asked, "That was a good trick. How did you do that?"

"No trick, what I told him was the truth," Eric stated. He then quickly added, "And don't stab me again, that really hurts."

.

The first elven 'inspection' came six months later. Eric took a noble elf and his party around to show them the town and surrounding farms. The noble elf was surprised they didn't have a castle. Eric informed him that they had no noblemen, they were just trying to make a living.

During the spring festival the next year, Eric had just enough ales in him to grab the lyre from the the minstrel who strummed it.

"Lemme show you how to play this thing," Eric said as he sat on a barrel. Looking down, he mussed, "If I remember how, that is."

Eric picked at the strings, then becoming more confident, he plucked out some tunes, and it came back to him. Just like riding a horse, you never really forget. Using his left hand to pinch the strings here and there along the neck, he got a nice tune going as the minstrel stood and listened to high and low notes he didn't think was possible. The drummer and a flutist joined in, and they played an un-named song they came up with on the fly. Once they got the beat down, they got rolling.

Paying attention to his instrument, Eric played as people danced to the music. It wasn't until Eric saw a pair of legs in front of him, and noticed the dancing stopped, did he look up. The music stopped.

Before him was the constable. Behind the constable was an ornate coach with what looked like a family of elves, bracketed by their escorts. Everyone was looking at him.

"M'Lord, elves are here and wish to see you," the constable said.

"I ain't no lord. Name's Eric," Eric replied, and gave the lyre back to it's owner. Walking over to the coach, he announced, "Greetings, welcome to Gateway."

A lady elf with light brown hair said, "Sir, I have never heard a Lyre played like that before."

"That was interesting," A noble elf beside her agreed.

"Just having some fun," Eric told him. "Care to join us?"

"Can we?" the elven Lady asked the elf with her.

The noble elf made a motion, and the coach door was opened by their young footman.

Eric introduced himself, the elves did the same. The Noble elf was Ketherlan, and the Lady elf was Elanza. Eric called for another barrel of ale and some food for their guests.

The minstrel gave up his Lyre again, and Eric went back to playing as they struck up a tune. As they played, Eric made the Lyre cry in high notes and dropped the tone as the strings vibrated to make sounding notes drop or rise in pitch as he played.

The whole time he played, Elanza watched, fascinated by his skill.

After another round of playing, Eric's fingers were getting sore. He handed an envious minstrel his Lyre and focused his attention on the elf Lord.

"How was your trip, Lord Ketherlan. Pleasant, I hope," Eric offered.

"It was a pleasant journey," Lord Ketherlan agreed. "I must admit, the last thing I expected was to find was a human Lord playing music with his minstrels."

Eric shook his head. "I ain't no lord. I'm just another guy doing what he can," he stated.

Ketherlan raised an eyebrow. "Interesting," he noted.

"So is this a quick trip, or can we arrange accommodations for you?" Eric asked.

"We were hoping to set up a camp nearby, if you would be kind enough to show us an appropriate place."

Eric shook his head. "That's not acceptable," he said. Turning he called, "Charlie! Yo Charlie!"

A middle aged man came through the crowd. "Yeah, Eric?"

"You got room at your Inn?"

"Pretty much open. The Smith got his own place build, so they moved out," Charlie told him.

"Set up some rooms for our guests, could ya? Don't want them sleeping on the ground outside."

"Yeah, sure. Who's payin?"

"I am."

"I'll go make sure the rooms are ready," Charlie said with a nod, and disappeared in the crowd.

"That is very generous of you, Sir Carvon," Elanza said, smiling at him.

"Better than sleeping on the ground," Eric told her. "Charlie's wife makes a good breakfast too. Eat there in the morning, and you won't be hungry until dinner."

"Thank you for your generous hospitality," Kertherlan said with a bow. "I hope that makes the request I have a bit more promising."

"What is it you request?" Eric asked.

"Sir Carvon," Ketherlan said in a serious tone, "The high council and the Speaker of the Sun would like me to set up a residence here in your town for our visits. So far, you have been true to your word. We would like to be closer so we can help avoid misunderstandings, should they come up."

It was worded nicely, but Eric knew the request was geared more to 'we want to keep a close eye on you'.

"That's fine, "Eric said. "And perhaps we can find areas where we can engage in trade."

"That is a possibility," Ketherlan said tightly.

"OK, great," Eric said as he thought. "Let's see, my place is over there on the northern end of town. I take it you'd like to be near there if possible?"

"That would be fine."

Eric cast him a smile and said, "Let's go then. I'll show you around the area, then you can tell me where you'd like to build."

.

Walking with Lord Ketherlan and his entourage, Eric first showed them his house made of log with a stone foundation, then the woods nearby on the edge of town. Thinking about not only the elves wanting to be by themselves, but were also looking for a defensible location to keep them from getting nervous, Eric guided the elves to a fairly level place that had a good view down the hillside.

"I'm thinking this may be a good spot," Eric mussed as he looked around. "Good view of the valley down there, fairly private but close to town, and my place is right down the hill there."

Ketherlan scanned the area and nodded. "You have a good eye, Mr. Carvon," he said appraisingly.

"Eric, please," he offered.

"And a good sense of how to win people over," Ketherlan noted aloud. Focusing on Eric, he said, "I'm sure you are well aware that you could announce yourself as a Lord, and no one would question it. Yet, you seem to want to be recognized only as another man doing his job. Which I am sure puts you in the hearts of all your people."

"Just doing what I have to do," Eric told him.

"And you do it well. I never dreamed the High Council would ever allow humans to inhabit any part of our land."

"If that's a compliment, I'll take it," Eric said, not quite sure if it was.

Ketherlan nodded. "When may we begin construction?" he asked.

"Soon as you want. Will you need help?"

Ketherlan scanned the forest again as he said, "That would be appreciated. I will pay any workers we require. Of course, the engineers, stone masons, and sculptors will all come from Qualinenost."

"Just let me know what you need. Shall I get some lumberjacks up here to start clearing the land?" Eric asked. "We have a group of six who are good, and currently are unoccupied."

"That would be appreciated."

.

Eric went to get the work started after dropping the elves off at Charlie's Inn. Elanza asked if he could come back later to perform more of his 'beautiful' music – which Ketherlan didn't appear to be too happy about, but agreed with her.

That evening, Eric joined the minstrels as Charlie's Inn filled up with patrons. Ale flowed, and requests for songs pummeled the minstrel group. Elanza asked to join in, and sat by Eric to play a flute.

Between the music and the ale, Eric got quite a buzz going on as the night progressed. In the early hours of the morning, most of the elves had called it a night, as did the humans who had work to do the next day. When Eric decided he better call it a night, only he, Elanza, the elven footman, and Charlie were still up.

Scrubbing the back of his head, Eric cast Elanza a crooked grin. "Seems like we got left. I should probably head on home also."

Gazing at him with her own tipsy grin, Elanza said, "I had a wonderful time, thank you."

"Thank you, my dear, your music was from heaven itself," Eric replied. Without thinking, he leaned over and gave her a kiss. Right after their lips parted, he saw her wide open stare as she put her fingers to her lips.

Eric know he'd just screwed up.

Quickly turning to the footman who was also gapping at them, Eric clapped a hand on his shoulder and said, "Hey, fella, I didn't get your name."

"Eldarin," the footman said, shrinking back as he stared at Eric as if he were afraid he'd be kissed next.

Holding onto Eldarin's shoulder, Eric looked at each of them and said, "Well Eldarin, Lady Elanza, It seems I've had a bit too much ale, and made a serious breech in proper behavior. If you could see clear to forget my... inexcusable behavior, I would be eternally grateful. And with that, please, have a good night," Eric finished with a wave and walked more-or- less straight out of the Inn with only a slightly drunken wander to his step.

Eric wandered down the street until he found a good solid post. Grabbing the post, he banged his head against it, grumbling, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

.

Jake, one of the lumberjacks came by the house early, and called for Eric. Peeling himself out of bed, Eric stumbled out to the living area in his long johns where Jake was waiting.

Seeing Eric's condition, Jake grinned. "A bit too much fun last night, huh?"

Rubbing the sleep out of eyes, Eric asked, "What's up?"

"This elf said he needed to talk to you, and the elves are up at their new homestead, wondering where you are."

"Yeah, right. Have the elf come in and sit. I'll be back out in a few," Eric told him, then went in to get himself presentable.

Eric washed up and got some clothes on. Coming back out he saw the footman, Eldarin, standing and looking out the window. "Morning, Eldarin," he called.

Eldarin bore a serious look, He greeted Eric then said, "M'Lady wishes to offer her apologies for her behavior last night."

Eric frowned at him. "Lady Elanza? She didn't do anything. What does she have to apologize about?"

Eldarin coughed and said, "That kiss?"

"Oh right. I'm really sorry about that," Eric offered as he studied the floor. "I shouldn't have done that."

"From my perspective, Sir, it was mutual, but still inappropriate," Eldarin said, correcting him. "But it is agreed that we will not discuss it."

"Good idea, let's forget it happened," Eric agreed.

Eldarin gave a nod. "Sir, I came to accompany you to our building site."

"Eric. Call me Eric. 'Sir' makes me think I should be dressed in armor and riding a horse," Eric told him.

Eldarin grew a crooked grin. "Eric, then. Shall we go?"

"Lead the way."

.

Thankfully, Eric spent the rest of the week with the elves with no mention of that kiss. Elanza seemed to have forgotten about it also. She acted like nothing had happened, which Eric was thankful for.

Ketherlan was called away on some urgent business. Wanting someone to ensure the work kept going, he left Elanza and her footman to oversee the land clearing and left with all their escorts. Eric promised to ensure her safety.

As the next few days went by, Eric saw a lot more of Elanza. The land clearing was down to pulling stumps. Eric enlisted the help of a couple willing young women to cook, and had Elanza and Eldarin to his house for dinner. Seeing how his house was much closer to the construction site, Eric asked if they would rather move in with him since he had two spare rooms, than stay at the Inn. Elanza agreed.

Once again, the minstrels were playing at Charlie's Inn, and once again after a few drinks, Eric took possession of Lyre and Elanza played her flute. The minstrel group played late into the night, filling up on ale between songs. Elanza suggested a song with lyrics that she knew. Eric and the others listened to her hum it so they could get the flow and rhythm. IT took them a few tries, but they got it down. Elanza sang in a crystal clear voice as they played to a mesmerized crowd.

Eldarin suggested by the thinning crowd and two minstrels calling it a night, that they should leave also.

"You're right, we should probably go," Eric agreed. Eric finished his ale, and escorted Elanza out the door as they waved to the few patrons left.

The moon was out in full as Eric walked along with Elanza on his arm, Eldarin walking beside her.

"Isn't that beautiful," Elanza asked, looking out over moon lit landscape.

"Sure is," Eric agreed. "Almost like another world, isn't it?"

"Yes it ..." Elanza then yelped as she tripped.

Eric quickly got a hold of her and held her up. "You OK? Too much to drink?" he asked with a crooked grin.

Elanza slapped him playfully. "I had less than you. But don't you fall down, there's no way I can carry you home!" she scolded in a light tone.

"Just don't step on the road apples," Eric cautioned.

Elanza frowned at him. "The what?" she asked.

"The road apples horses leave behind!" Eric stated, pointing to a pile of horse manure.

Elanza giggled. "You call them road apples?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Feeling silly, Eric sang a song.

"Rooad apples! The kind you do not eat.

Rooad apples, they will stick to your feet!"

Elanza burst into laughter as Eric sang his silly song, making it up as he went. In her laughing, Elanza leaned into Eric and put an arm around him. Eric steadied her with an arm over her shoulders.

"Should I give M'Lady some assistance?" Eldarin asked, looking nervous.

"Naw, I got her. Aint' gonna let nothing happen to the beautiful and talented Lady Elanza," Eric announced.

"Oh, thank you Sir Knight!" Elanza said with a giggle as she fawned over him.

Eric stopped with a stumble, nearly spilling them both on the ground. Looking around he asked, "A Knight? Where?"

Elanza burst out laughing again, this time stumbling to hug Eric. She whacked him lightly with a slap. "You, you drunken, wonderful man," she said in a giggle.

"I think I really should help M'Lady," Eldarin said, eyeing them.

"My good Sir Knight is my protector," Elanza said as she hugged Eric.

Stiffening himself, Eldarin said, "M'Lady please let me get a horse. You seem to have trouble walking."

Looking at Eric, she frowned and mussed, "I do, don't I?"

"Right then, let's fix that," Eric said firmly, and scooped her up into a bride's carry.

Elanza let out a squeal as he hoisted her up. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Elanza gazed up at Eric's face, and asked softly, "Oh Sir Knight! Whatever will you do with me?"

Eric frowned in thought as he walked, then said, "Take you to your room, dump you on your bed and throw a blanket over you. That is ... if I can find home," he said, looking around.

"This street here," Eldarin said, pointing the way.

"Right! Lead on, Good Sir Eldarin!" Eric announced.

Resting her head on Eric's shoulder, Elanza gazed off into the night. Slowly, she turned her face to watch Eric carrying her.

Coming to his house, Eldarin went ahead to open the door. Eric thanked him as a 'Good loyal man', and strode inside.

"Are you my knight?" Elanza asked softly.

Standing in his living area, Eric looked into her soft eyes and her full lips parted slightly. Damn, she was pretty! Giving her the best answer he could think of, he said, "I'll be anything you need me to be."

"Well good night," Eldarin said pointedly.

Ignoring him, Elanza gazed softly at Eric and asked, "Is my knight going to take me to my bed?"

"Oh, yes," Eric replied just as softly, gazing into her lovely eyes. He walked into her room. As soon as they passed the threshold, their lips met in a long kiss.

Parting lips, Elanza said with a sleepy look, "This is improper."

"Very improper," Eric agreed.

Elanza petted his face gently as she said, "I need you."

"I'm here," Eric assured her, and kicked the door shut.


	4. Chapter 4

CH 4

Eric awoke to someone calling his name frantically. Coming around, he felt himself holding something. On his shoulder was a light brown head, a slim arm lay across his chest. The warmth told him they were naked.

"Eric! Where are you?"

Oh shit! Heart in his throat, Eric slipped out of bed and found his pants. Hastily, he put them on as he glanced at Elanza who was beginning to stir.

Eric ran out in the living area, shutting the door behind him. The constable came striding out from Eric's bedroom. Eric had an excuse on his tongue, but the constable spoke first.

"We got trouble, Hobgoblins are coming this way," the man said, looking justifiably worried.

"What? Where?"

"An elven runner came in to town, they're headed up from the south, trying to get around the elven army. He figures we got maybe two days before they get here."

The Captain of the guard, Ramon, burst in the front door. "Eric!" he called as he came in. Stopping, he said, "We need you now, Hobgoblins have been seen by down by the south pond, just above the beaver dam."

That was a hell of a lot closer than two days. "Get men together down at the crossroads by Miller's place, then go find those Hobgoblins. Pull men from the border if you have to," Eric told Ramon, then to the constable, he said, "Call for militia and any volunteers you can find, meet me out in front of the town warehouse."

The men ran out, and Eric ran onto his room to scoop up some clothes and his sword. Thinking as he moved, he next opened the door to Eldarin's room. "Eldarin, I need you now, get out here!" Eric barked, then quickly got himself dressed.

"What's going on?" Elanza asked, wearing a sheet as she peeked out of her room.

"My boots, get'em for me," Eric said throwing on his shirt. He did manage to get some socks on his feet, then buckled on his sword belt. Thinking about keeping his two guests safe, he grabbed the crossbow from above the fireplace and pulled the quiver of bolts out from behind the wood bin.

Eldarin appeared, bleary eyed. "What's all the yelling?" he asked.

Eric grabbed him and sat him down. "Watch," Eric said as he loaded the crossbow. "Put the end on the floor, put your foot on the support, pull the string back like this. When you hear the click, it's cocked." Eric then loaded on a bolt and handed the crossbow to him. "Think you can do that?"

"Yeah, but why?" Eldarin asked, confused.

"I have your boots, Eric," Elanza said in a small voice.

Eric retrieved his boots and put them on as he explained to Eldarin, "We got Hobgoblins coming. Could be a whole army of them. Until I know for sure, after I leave, you shut the door and drop all three bars across it. Shutter all the windows except the one closest to the door there. If something tries to get in and it ain't human or elf, kill it, then get Elanza down in the root cellar."

"Hobgoblins?" They both asked in fear.

"Eldarin! Did you hear me?" Eric snapped.

"Yes, bar the door, shoot if I have to, then get Lady Elanza into the root cellar," Eldarin said. "Shouldn't we run?" he asked weakly.

Eric shook his head. "That'll only make you targets for their hunt. The root cellar had a good, solid oak door that can be double-barred, and even if they burn the place down, you'll be safe. IF they get this far, there won't be anyone left outside to help you," he said, stomping on his second boot. "There's enough supplies down there to last a few days. Food, water, and a bellows to stick in a pipe hidden in the yard so you can get air. If it gets that far, stay down there at least two days. When you are sure it's safe, come out very cautiously."

"Where are you going?" Elanza asked as she stared at Eric.

"I'm gonna go try to keep the Hobgoblins out of town," Eric said as he checked himself. Clothes, sword, and he could get a shield and spear at the armory.

"No! You can't go out there! Stay here with us!" Elanza cried.

Letting out a huff, Eric said, "I got a job to do."

"Then I'm going too!" Elanza stated and ducked back into her room.

Eric glared at Eldarin. "Keep her here if you have to sit on her! If she gets hurt, I'll be coming for your ass to hang. Bar the door shut right after I leave."

Holding Eric's crossbow, Eldarin nodded.

.

Eric strode quickly down to the warehouse where the winter stores and the town's armory was located. He arrived to find a small group of men had gathered. The men looked confused.

"Eric, what's going on?" one man asked.

"Hobgoblins are about. One of you fellows stay out here, the rest come with me. We're breaking out all the weapons," Eric told them, then went into the barn doors.

Most of the interior was taken up by bins and lofts for the winter storage of food stuffs. Near the middle, a single door opened into a long thin room filled with weapons racks on one side. Most of the spare weapons were eight foot spears topped with steel heads and plain, straight, double edged

broadswords. Along the bare wall, a couple dozen round brass shields hung. Pointing to them, he told the closest man, "Spears and shields first, then swords, then anything else we got in here. It all comes out.

Going back outside, Eric showed a few men who trickled in how he wanted the weapons emerging from the armory to be stacked.

Looking over the growing crowd of nervous men, Eric selected a few younger men to go scouting. Pulling them to the side, he said, "Head south and keep your wits about you. Know what's around you at all times. At the first sight of a Hobgoblin, get your asses back here and tell me. If it gets around noon and you still haven't found anything, come back anyway. You don't want to be in the woods at night with Hobgoblins about."

"Eric ...Sir? What's a Hobgoblin?" a light haired young man asked.

"Two legs, greenish with scraggly hair, ugly and bad tempered," Eric said. "Trust me, as soon as you see one, you'll know it. Get going."

Eric had a bad feeling about these Hobgoblins coming. Except for skirmishes with elves, they had no experienced fighters who did not have gray hair growing on their heads. Going up against an elf who was dodging around and shooting arrows from behind trees was completely different that the

stampede like charge of a strong Hobgoblin that was coming to crush your skull. All the guards,

and quite a few young men in the town were nimble, and used to going after their enemy. Most of them had learned to fight elves. None of them had ever faced anything else.

The only good thing about a Hobgoblin's charge was that if you could stop the charge, then you had the advantage. Hobgoblins were strong and tough creatures, but not the brightest bunch. He had to devise an appropriate defense, and hope there were not that many.

Eric noted one man who was giving a line of men who'd taken up spears and shields a 'refresher' on combat spearing and covering yourself with the shield.

"Excuse me!" Eric said loudly as he went over to the guard who was doing his best. Eric motioned for the spear and the shield. The guard handed them over.

"All right, gather round and listen up!" Eric said loudly so everyone could hear. He waited until there was a large circle of men around him before he continued. "Hobgoblins are NOT elves! They don't try to avoid direct combat and keep their distance. They come at you straight on, fast and hard, and they will not stop unless you kill them. They weight roughly twice as much as any of you do, and if they hit you, you WILL go down! If you run, they will catch and kill you. There is only one sure way to take down a Hobgoblin before he takes you down. Observe."

Eric put his shield up in front of him and laid his spear on the ground as he dropped to one knee. "As I said, Hobgoblins are strong and tough, but they are about as smart as the rocks in the stream down there. Keep your spear down like so, step on the end of it. Then when that ugly, snarling beast gets close," he pulled up on the spear, the tip rose up about stomach height. "You pull your spear up. Keep the end grounded, and let the weight of his own attack impale him. Chances are, you're going to loose that spear, or won't be able to recover it before another Hobgoblin is coming after you. The more spears you have, the better. If you can get a back attack on one, that's good too. Sword fighting against a Hobgoblin is a last ditch effort to save your own ass, and your family's lives. Don't do it unless you have no other choice."

Eric stood up and handed the guard's weapons back to him. "Remember that, and you'll have a chance. Let others reach out to attack with rocks and arrows, spear men are defense in this fight. Spread the word, I don't want anyone charging out there with visions of glory. You'll only end up as a bloody corpse. Make them come to you."

Seeing the Constable, Eric had him round up six more men for scouting. Ramon had scouts to the east towards elven territory so he sent three west, and another trio to the south, more east of where he'd sent the original three.

"Why groups of three?" the constable asked.

"One to walk up to the hobgoblin and get killed, a second to keep it occupied with his screaming as the third man to runs back to tells us what happened," Eric said dryly.

"You expect people are going to die," the Constable noted.

"If those Hobgoblins come at us, many people are going to die," Eric stated. Casting a look at the men arming themselves with spears, swords and shields, he added, "And if we can't find some heavier weapons to hit them with, chances are it will be flee or die."

.

Between men's personal bows and the armory, Eric ended up with a whole hundred and ten bowmen who had around fifteen to twenty arrows each. They desperately needed more ranged weapons. The simplest was a sling and stones. Some boys came up with a three person sling. Two boys held a long cloth loose while a third boy loaded in a fist sized rock.

The two boy yanked hard at the same time, and the cloth snapped taunt, fireing the rock a good 80 yards. Eric praised them for their idea, and recruited teenage boys to make a 'sling squad'. The damage they would do was questionable, but Eric was willing to use anything to down a few Hobgoblins before they hit the line of spear men.

In a couple hours, Eric found he had three hundred spear men, the same number of slings, not counting the nearly hundred boys with their slings, and another few bowmen joined to make a hundred twenty bow men.

Scouts came running back into town. The out of breath southern scouts had found 'A whole bunch' of Hobgoblins headed right for them. Luckily, only one young man was killed.

The best place Eric could find to make their initial stand was at the edge of a wheat field square in the path of the oncoming Hobgoblins. Placing the spear men in front of a line of brush at the edge of the road, Eric had logs put down just in front of the bushed. He had long sharpened wood, from implement handles to sharpened ten foot long sticks, laid on the logs so a foot pushing down would raise the sharpened stick up to about belly height. They spearmen made a long single line. Crouched behind the brush by th road ten feet behind them, were the bowmen and slings.

Standing toward the middle of the field, Eric sent his runners out again to be sure they were in front of the Hobgoblins. Another older teen was lost from getting too close to them. The wide eyes as the last ones emerged from the woods to ran back told Eric the Hobgoblins were right behind them.

"Get ready!" Eric called back to his men. "Remember what you have to do!"

"They're coming," a young man gasped as he ran by.

Standing alone with his spear, a bronze shield and his sword at his side, Eric waited until he saw Hobgoblins appear in the woods before him. The first few slowed, then stopped as they gathered. Mimicking the single line of humans before them, the Hobgoblins formed up in a single rank with only one in front of the line. The one large Hobgoblin Eric guessed was the leader, took a step forward eyeing him. Raising his jagged sword, the leader roared and pointed his sword at Eric.

The line of Hobgoblins ran forward, belting out rough battle cries.

Eric turned and ran. As he ran, he did his best to note how fast they were gaining on him, and where the leader was. He only had one shot at this. A bowshot in front of him, a couple men moved to the side to let him pass as the Hobgoblins were closing quickly. "Back in rank!" Eric shouted, then quickly stopped, turned, knelt and planted his spear.

The leader who was charging, raised his sword high as Eric lifted the point of his spear, aiming for the leaders' ribs. With a look of shock, the leader ran right onto Eric's spear, driving over half of it into his body before he collapsed.

Eric didn't hesitate. A soon as the leader impaled himself, Eric crouched behind his shield and thrust forward with all his weight. The Hobgoblin beside the leader deflected off Eric's shield and knocked Eric to the other side, right where he wanted to be. Eric used the momentum to get to his feet, turn, and chase the line of Hobgoblins. Drawing his sword, he screamed, "BOWS!"

The line of men crouched down. Behind them, bowmen and sling wielders stood up, took aim and shot.

Hobgoblins fell, and few hit by stones stumbled. The line broke up, but kept charging toward the humans. Eric caught a Hobgoblin that had stumbled from a stone impact, and swung to slice deep across the back of his neck. That one fell dead. Another noticed him, and came at him with a roar.

At the line, the bowmen fired another round of arrows, and a few dozen stones were slung, then the second line ran to the other side of the road. The younger boys with their long 'three person' slings, kept running. As planned.

The Hobgoblins hit the line at a run, and got impaled by the grounded weapons. A few men lifted their sharpened poles too late, and a few too early. The Hobgoblins had time to knock aside the one's who'd lifted their weapons too early, and the men who's timing had been off, paid for it with their lives as misshapen swords crashed down on them.

The Hobgoblin charging Eric swung, Eric put up his shield to catch the sword, and spun to the side as he swung, ripping into the Hobgoblin's leg. It stumbled, but with a roar came at Eric again. Eric sidestepped. As it pushed his shield and him aside, he drove his sword into it's neck. A fast twist of the blade, and Eric backed off. Seeing the creature grab it's throat that was pumping out blood, he ran to the now confused fight on the road.

Breaking into knots of combat, the remaining Hobgoblins fought humans. The bad part was that with each strike, a Hobgoblin took a man down. The good part was that each Hobgoblin was surrounded, and taking jabs from spears from every angle. In the screaming chaos, Hobgoblins fell until the last one sank down with three spears and two arrows in it.

After the sickish looking green creatures were all dead, there was silence for a moment, except for the moaning cries of the wounded. Then a cheer of victory rose up from the defenders.

Eric scanned the woods. He was sure any Hobgoblin that was here, had committed themselves to the battle, not wanting to be seen as weak but his clan mates. Still, it was always best to make sure.

.

Coming up to Eric, the Constable who now was holding his bleeding arm, asked, "I thought you said using a sword against a Hobgoblin was an act of desperation."

"I did," Eric agreed. "I was desperate to kill their leader so none of them could rally another attack if any of them survived." Looking over the scene of carnage, he said, "We got lucky, they didn't take us seriously this time. Get our wounded back to town, and the dead. Pick up every weapon and piece of metal we can find. They aren't anywhere close to being done yet."

.

A body count showed they had killed two hundred sixty three Hobgoblins to the cost of sixteen dead, and twenty seven wounded townsmen. It was a start.

Meeting Ramon and the Constable in the middle of the street with their squad leaders, Eric shrugged off the suggestion to defend the place where they had been victorious.

"We'll be easily outflanked if we stood out there," Eric told them. "Every family who isn't in town, get them within the walls. Livestock too. Tip wagons up on their sides so shooters can shoot down on the Hobgoblins, and hang the brightest lamps you can find down the outside of the walls tonight."

"Why the outside?" The Constable asked.

"Hobgoblins see better after dark, but if we shine lights in their eyes, they can't see much else beside the light," Eric explained. "Check with Charlie to see if he has any strong liqueur. Poured in clay pots and lit, we can toss fire at them too. Hobgoblins don't like fire. Brush piles near, not AT the wall will also help discourage them."

The constable and Ramon turned to their men to fulfill Eric's requests.

"What can I do?" a familiar female voice asked from behind Eric. Eric turned to see Elanza standing there in leathers, with Eldarin behind her. Eric glared at Eldarin.

"I couldn't stop her!" Eldarin cried as he took a step back.

Eric shifted his glare to Elanza, and asked in a hard tone, "WHAT are you doing here?"

"Same as you. Helping to defend this town," she stated.

"NO!" Eric barked. "You're too damn important to go risking your life! Lord Ketherlan will be highly pissed, and maybe HE will order an attack on us if anything happens to you. Do I have to tie you up to get you to stay in the house?"

Hands on her hips and casting Eric a smirk, Elanza said in a musical tone, "If you tie me up, I hope it isn't just to keep me from defending this town."

Eric's jaw dropped. A snicker sounded behind him. Eric's glare caused the man to fall silent.

"I'm helping," Elanza stated.

Thinking of how to keep her from getting herself killed, Eric pointed to the highest spot he could see. "That watch tower there, you can see at night, right?"

"Yes, and I can warn you when Hobgoblins approach," Elanza said firmly.

"Good. You and Eldarin take shifts. I'll post guards at the base so they can pass messages. And unless that tower is about to fall, stay up there," Eric growled.

"Yes, M'Lord," Elanza said a bit too happily, and left with Eldarin in tow.

Eric grumbled again as she left. WHY did women have to be so difficult?

.

The walls around the town of Gateway were meant to keep out wild animals, and offer a place to duck down behind to avoid elven arrows. The roughly eight foot walls made of upright logs were not

designed to hold back a major assault. In some places, the walls were propped up by supports, not even dug very deep into the ground.

Eric had to conceded at least they had something to keep the Hobgoblins from running straight into town. Not very tall, or sturdy, the town wall would be breached fairly easily by attacking Hobgoblins. On the shorter sections of wall that Eric could see over (and Hobgoblins could jump over) Eric had small pits dug just inside the walls. Like post holes, these pits were only a foot around and a couple feet deep. He had the area inside the wall covered with them, then a secondary wall made behind that with boards, barrels and tables.

Upon being questioned why he was having all these small pits dug, Eric said, "See that wall? Hobgoblins will come and jump over it. When they do, good chance they will step in one of these holes when they land. What happens when a horse hits a gopher hole?"

"Busted legs," a man said, understanding.

"And that will make killing them easier."

Late in the afternoon, Eric was racking his brains for anything else they could to do prepare for an attack. On the walls were every able bodied man they had. On the next parallel street back from the wall, were the teenage boys, girls and older men were ready to block off the alleys between houses and fight the best they could with makeshift slings, spears, axes, and anything else they could scrape up. The women had made an inner defense ring surrounding center of town and the watch tower.

As the sun was setting, Eric knew they were as ready as possible. Women made meals for men who stayed near their assigned areas, expecting a Hobgoblin attack at any time.

Front the watch tower a call came down of someone approaching through the northern woods. The walls were manned, Eric took a place near the north western gate, where a 'sizable' group was approaching. In the growling darkness, Eric saw tall thin shapes.

"Get ready!" a group leader yelled, and bows raised up.

"Stay your hand!" Eric yelled right after him. "Those are elves coming. Open the gate."

.

Lord Ketherlan brought in thirty odd tired looking elves who bore empty quivers, or only had a few arrows left. A couple elves bore light wounds. Eric called for food and water for the elves.

His body sagging as if carrying a great weight, Lord Ketherlan asked, "Lady Elanza, is she well?"

"She's well, but stubborn," Eric replied. "She won't stay in a safe cabin. She insisted on helping so I put her up in the watch tower where she'll be far from the battle."

"Thank you," Lord Ketherlan said with a tired nod.

"You're going to take her back to Qualinenost?" Eric asked, hoping that was the case.

Ketherlan shook his head. "We tried to draw the Hobgoblins away to the west. We were partially successful. Many did go west chasing us. When we tried to head east towards home, we found ourselves surrounded."

"At least you got away," Eric said sympathetically.

"You don't understand, we ARE surrounded," Lord Ketherlan said. "Hobgoblins have taken over the whole area outside of this town. They are everywhere."

"Damn," Eric grumbled. They were under siege. It was only a matter of time before the Hobgoblins attacked in force.

A man came running, calling, "Hey, Eric! Eldarin says we got Hobgoblins outside town to the east and south!"

"Here we go," Eric said, then shouted orders to get ready to meet the threat.

.

On the southeast corner of the wall, Eric listened as one of Ketherlan's elves pointed out where the Hobgoblins were out in the darkness. He couldn't see past the soft glow of the lanterns shining their light outside the walls, lighting a mere half a bow shot around the town. The Hobgoblins were massing, but staying well back out of bow range. Slowly, the line of Hobgoblins grew longer, until they extended from the south wall, around the west wall and most of the way down the weaker north wall.

"So where's your army?" Eric asked Ketherlan, thinking that if they could get a band out during the chaos of the first attack, someone could run for help.

"I brought what is left with me," Ketherlan said in a grave tone.

Eric got was he was saying, Lord Ketherlan's army had gotten slaughtered. "So much for that plan," he mussed. "Tell me that wasn't the only army the elves have."

"Far from it, but no one else will come to assist us. That was understood when we left," Lord Ketherlan stated.

Turning his thoughts to the battle to come, Eric said to Ramon, "When they come, they will want to get those lanterns put out so they can see us. Get the alcohol pots ready, and Ketherlan, if you could get your men up on the roofs behind us to shoot down on them, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Ketherlan's nose flared at the fact Eric had not used his title, but did as Eric asked. Borrowing arrows from some humans, the elves got in position to shoot.

"Attack on the southern wall!" came a cry, followed by the battle cry of Hobgoblins.

.

The area of the southern wall that the Hobgoblins charged was the low wall. They came on and got pummeled under arrows and stones as they came close. Many fell, but the mass raced on. The first Hobgoblins to jump the low wall landed screaming as they tripped on the holes in the ground. More fell to large stones thrown with a rope attached to it some men had made. The head sized stones were twirled like slings, but with both hands. The big rocks hit Hobgovlins hard enough to knock

them backwards off their feet.

The pile of screaming and confused Hobgoblins grew as more jumped over the wall into the chaos. Tripping over their own wounded, Hobgoblins wanting to attack only stumbled forward, and were killed with arrows and spears from a solid line of humans. A couple men threw burning clay pots into the mass, followed by a few more. The pots broke open, spilling fire among the Hobgoblins. Frantic creatures wailed out in pain and tried to flee. Some crawled back over the wall, others fled right into a line of spears. A few at a time, burning Hobgoblins got back over the wall to go running and screaming back into the night.

With the light of the burning Hobgoblins, townsmen could now see another mass of Hobgoblins watching the murderous slaughter of their fellows. Arrows and stones came down into this group. Taking losses, they backed off into the darkness.

The screeching howl of mortally wounded Hobgoblins was hard on the ears, bur Eric insisted they not be put out of their misery. Hobgoblins were more than willing to fight to the death. They also expected to die. The only thing a Hobgoblin feared, was being wounded and not being able to fight. Eric knew that although men were cringing from the unearthly cries, the Hobgoblins were cringing also. letting the Hobgoblins wail out their agony was Eric's message to the others out there in the darkness: Fear us, we will wound you and leave you in pain.

From the tower, and from Ketherlan's men on the roofs, Eric found out the Hobgoblins were backing off a bit farther. The groups outside the southern wall had moved to the east, as if escaping the wailing cries coming from that low wall.

Excited growls, barks and the coarse unintelligible language of the Hobgoblins drifted into town. Eric had no idea what was being argued about, but it was obvious they were not happy. Then a voice roared out, and hundreds of other voices answered.

"Here they come, right at the corner of the south wall and east wall," an elf called out. Arrows raced off into the night.

Eric was at the corner with his crossbow as the Hobgoblins appeared."Throw pots!" he yelled, then shot a Hobgoblin high on his leg. He grabbed the rope dangling over the side, as did men to either side of him.

"lift?" a man asked.

"Not yet ... Now!" Eric barked. They pulled, and picket a fence of sharpened poles lifted up to impale the rushing Hobgoblins. Eric cocked his crossbow and shot as fast as he could, and it seemed way too slow. Hobgoblins ran over their impaled fellows and tried jumping at the walls. They either fell back, or got their fingers or hands chopped to make them fall. Pots of alcohol flew over the wall to spill fire into the attackers as stones and arrows rained on them.

Eric abandoned his crossbow and drew his sword to chop away at Hobgoblins who desperately tried to top the wall. They were jumping higher as the bodies below built up. The battle wasn't completely one-sided. A few men were grabbed by Hobgoblin attempts to gain the top of the wall and were pulled over the wall with them to be hacked to death. A few others were killed by Hobgoblins that figured out to they should wield their weapon as they jumped.

The fires grew, feeding on the hairy bodies. The attack broke up under the punishing rain of arrows, stones and fire. Again, the Hobgoblins retreated as many of their fellows wailed out in agony. A burning Hobgoblin that tried to run was beaten down and killed by his own fellows.

Eric was relieved their tactic worked. He also noted that with the growing fires, added to by a couple lanterns that had fallen, the town wall was also on fire. Calling for water, the men who had fought the Hobgoblins now fought to keep their only form of defense from burning up. Bucket after bucket was poured down the outside of the wall, causing a steam to rise from the hot wood.

Rough screams sounded from the darkness. Hobgoblins angry at not being able to get past the wall threw rocks. Although there was no accuracy to their throws, the massive amount of stones that came flying out of the darkness forced shields up, and men to take cover. The firefighting effort

severely hampered, the wall caught flame once again.

Although he hated to, Eric had this section of wall abandoned. They were taking more losses they couldn't afford, and trying to save the wall was hopeless. A length of almost a hundred yards of wall was lost. While the fires burned brightly, Eric got the secondary defense firmed up, blocking the space between buildings, and ensuring all windows and doors were heavily blocked and jammed shut.

"Attack on the east gate!"

Eric ran to the new threat. Here, the Hobgoblins had brought a tree trunk to batter the gate down. The few bowmen kept up their fire on Hobgoblins carrying the ram as men on the walls fought off the Hobgoblin attempts to climb. The mass of creatures then tried to climb the gate, which diverted

the bow men's attention from the ram. More Hobgoblin picked up the ram and rushed forward, creatures thick on both sides. With the interference in front of them, their charge was slow, but the ram hit to splatter one of their own against the gate. The gate shuddered, the crossbar cracked.

"Reinforce the gate!" Eric yelled. Several men brought logs to prop against the gate. They got the logs wedged in place, and Hobgoblins atop the gate got over to drop into them.

Eric drew his sword and attacked. Inside, a growing battle formed as more Hobgoblins got over the gate and inside. Eric killed the Hobgoblin he was fighting and saw their defense was folding. Hobgoblins inside were killing men on the walls, allowing more of their fellows to get in over the walls.

"Retreat to the secondary defense!" Eric called out. Eric himself became overcome as three Hobgoblins came at him, forcing him back.

A group of Hobgoblins attacked the gate from the inside, ripped the reinforcing logs loose, working to get the gates open. Eric was completely defensive as he dodged and blocked hard swung attacks that were battering his shield with deep dents. As he struggled to defend himself, rocks came from behind. Intended for Hobgoblins, the rock struck Eric square in the back. Stunned by this, he

lowered his guard and got a Hobgoblin sword down on him, breaking his collarbone, then his shield was hit so hard, it was rammed into his face. Eric went down.

.

Eric awoke lying on his back. The sound of battle raged around him. The east gate was wide open and torn apart. Hobgoblins were attacking the secondary defense between the houses. Everyone around him lay dead. Struggling up, Eric took stock of the situation, and his condition. He was a sore, but healed.

Charging the Hobgoblins from behind, Eric didn't yell a battle cry, but attacked silently. He drove his sword into the lower back on a Hobgoblin, hamstrung another, then swung hard, beheading another before they noticed him. Running behind them, Eric stabbed and chopped intending to wound, and get their attention on him. It worked, a group of Hobgoblin ran after him, seeing someone they didn't have to wait to kill.

Eric ran from them, then stopped and met the Hobgoblins, stabbing deep into one as he blocked the one beside him, forcing his way between them. Luckily, A swing hit the edge of his shield, angling it so Eric got behind the group. In the two steps it took for the Hobgoblins to react, Eric was behind them and chopped the knee of another before he ran a few steps away. Enraged, the Hobogoblins charged Eric again, and again, Eric charged through them low, this time ripping open a belly.

The pair of Hobgoblins left attacked Eric with snarls of rage. Eric met their charge, ducked a sword, and ripped open another stomach. He spun low and chopped a foot, then whipped around high to meet swords with the remaining Hobgoblin. Eric kicked up into the Hobgoblin's arm pit of it's sword arm. The Hobgoblin jerked back, Eric hit him with his shield, then stabbed two time fast into the Hobgoblin's knee and hip.

The wounded Hobgoblins struggled up, ready to finish this battle. Eric saw it couldn't run so he ran back to the ones with their back to him. Once again, he chopped and swung to give disabling wounds until they noticed him, then he ran to lead them to a place he had room to fight.

The second group ended up like the first, wounded and angry that Eric didn't finish their fight. Their cries of anger got the attention of other Hobgoblins and their attack on the secondary defenses wavered.

One thick Hobgoblin pointed his sword at Eric and announced, "We kill you!" in a rough common voice.

"You first!" Eric roared back.

"Attack!" A human voice screamed out.

A thick volley of rock, sharpened lengths of wood, and a few arrows rained down on the Hobgoblins at the secondary line. Then came large rocks thrown from roofs and a couple pots of alcohol. Bearing sharpened farm implements. a long line of men and woman came over the defense wall and drove into the Hobgoblins. Men with nothing but a large rock tied to a sturdy rope, came over the barrier swinging their weapon to smash Hobgoblin skulls. Eric charged back into the Hobgoblin line from behind.

The attack surprised the Hobgoblins. Humans, screaming for blood surged forward, killing and driving Hobgoblins back. Eric attacked from behind and dove into the Hobgoblins to soon find himself facing Charlie, who was holding a large rock on a rope tether.

"Turn around," Charlie barked, "They're behind ya now!"

Eric joined the attack. The hobgoblins tried to regroup and form one of their charges, but the humans pressed their advantage and stabbed, crushed and burned Hobgoblins until the few that were left, fled out the open gate. In a last stand, a group of creatures charged back at the gate to meet an equally fierce charge at them. In this last fight, Eric thrust his sword into a Hobgoblin to get one thrust into him.

For the second time that night, Eric passed out from blood loss and pain.


	5. Chapter 5

CH 5

In the living area of Eric's house, Ramon studied Ketherlan, who was sitting down, one leg out and wrapped in a splint and his left arm was bandaged. "What are you saying?" Ramon asked heavily.

Ketherlan repeated himself. "Our treaty was with Eric as this town's leader. With him gone, I can't say whether or not the treaty will be honored by the high council."

"Yeah?" Ramon asked. "Well consider this, if you don't honor the treaty, you will be dishonoring Eric's legacy and making a BIG mistake. We didn't back down to Hobgoblins, and we won't back down to you."

"I did not say that was my choice!"Ketherlan stated. "I am only warning you what may happen. I owe you my life, and the life of my precious wife, Elanza."

It was then they heard his precious wife belt out a piercing scream from the room where she was tending to Eric's body.

.

Eric sat in bed looking at Elnaza who was now on the floor by the door casing, gapping at him as she sucked in rapid breaths. Hearing her crying upon awakening, all he'd done was to sit up and lay a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Elanza had jumped up, and seeing him, she'd wailed out at the top of her lungs as she backed into the wall. Her legs kept backpedaling until she fell.

Ramon burst in, his sword drawn. "What's ..." he then saw Eric sitting up. "You're alive?" Ramon asked with a big grin.

"Yeah," Eric said, eyeing him. "Why wouldn't I be."

"We thought you were dead. You sure as hell looked it!"

Eric shrugged and said, "Sorry to disappoint you. Is there any food made? I'm really hungry."

Ramon belted out a belly laugh. "Food?" he asked, then said, "You're alive, I'll go get you a whole cow if you want it!"

"Not that much, but a good steak would be appreciated," Eric replied.

"Eric?" Elanza asked from her seat on the floor.

"Food coming right up!" Ramon announced. As he strode out he called, "Go pass the word, ERIC LIVES!"

Stumbling up, Elanza stared at Eric. Her lip quivered then she ran into him hugging his head tight to her breast. She then burst out in tears.

"Hey, hey, everything is all right," Eric told her soothingly as he petted her back.

Pulling back to turn his head to look at her, Elanza said through her sniffles. "You were dead. You had no heartbeat! How are you alive?"

"Die and miss your kind attentions?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow. "You ain't getting rid of me that easy."

Elanza let out a short giggle, then said, "You didn't answer my question."

"Didn't I?" Eric asked innocently.

From the living area, Ketherlan called, "May I have some help?"

Elanza looked at the door, then said, "My husband's calling. I'll get some food for you after I care for him." She planted a kiss on Eric's forehead and ran out.

Husband. Elanza was Ketherlan's wife. It had been so frantic, Eric had forgotten about how that morning of the Hobgoblin attack had started. "Oh no," he said with a groan as he planted a hand over his face. Maybe he could play dead for a few more days until they left.

.

Eric sat at the table, wolfing down food and trying to ignore Ketherlan and Elanza. His conversation with Ketherlan so far had been thankfully short. Ketherlan was pleased Eric was alive, and Eric was thankful Ketherlan also survived. Elanza served the food, and Eric focused on eating.

Before he was done, the front door burst open. Men and a women poured in, jubilant Eric was upright and whole. In the middle of their voicing relief he wasn't dead, Elanza stepped between Eric and the crowd.

"People, PLEASE," Elanza announced. "Eric still needs rest and some privacy. Please give him some time to recover! He will come out when he's ready, so please leave!"

"The Lady is right!" Edward the assistant constable announced. "Let's give Eric some room, shall we? Come on, everyone out."

Edward stayed by the door until the crowd filed out, then shut the door, staying inside himself. Casting Eric an apologetic grin, he said, "Our apologies, M'Lord, it's just that so many have died, everyone is happy that you lived."

Eric was not happy about the 'M'Lord', but ignored it. "How many did we loose?" he asked.

"Quite a few," Edward said sadly. "Ramon arranged the burials. We'd planned on saving you for last. Good thing we waited, huh? The total is a hundred seventy three men, fifty women, a dozen boys, and three young girls. Two were the Weaver's kids. Their house was on the secondary line, and Hobgoblins got in the back. The entire family died, but they didn't go easy."

"Damn," Eric grumbled.

"Constable Harris got it too," Edward explained. "I suppose we're going to need a new Constable."

"Yeah," Eric said with a huff. "And you're it. This time, see if you can get two or three deputies, just in case."

"Me?" Edward asked, surprised.

"You have experience, so you're it."

"Thank you, M'Lord."

"OK," Eric said in a huff, "That's enough of that. Name's Eric, not 'Lord'."

"Yes... Eric," Edward said with a grin. "I'll pass the word you're still with us, and to let you rest a few more days," he said, then left.

Ketherlan eyed Eric and said, "Even when they don't say it, I can hear 'Lord' in their voices when they say your name," he noted.

Eric then noticed someone missing. "Where's Eldarin?"

.

Eldarin had survived, but in carrying a large rock up to a roof during the fight, he'd slipped and twisted his leg. Although Eric felt fine, he decided to stay in the house until the excitement had calmed down. It just didn't seem right to meet people happy he was alive after so many of his fellow townspeople had given their lives in defense of the town.

Since Ketherlan was wounded, Eric agreed it was best if he stayed in Elanza's room with her.

Eric leaned a couple things about Ketherlan. While Eric knew the elf was injured, it seemed that he enjoyed making Elanza jump for the slightest thing. Silly things like adjusting his pillow or the angle of his leg, close the window shutters because the sun was in his eyes, or help him move. He bemoaned to Eric about not having any servants to make Elanza's life easier. The more Eric got to know Ketherlan, the more he seemed like just another Lord.

Eric himself stayed in the house the rest of the day - spending most of it sleeping or resting to avoid Ketherlan. The next morning, he got up to find Elanza in the living area curled up in a chair with a pillow and blanket. He grabbed a bite to eat and heard Ketherlan call out for his wife.

Eric wandered into the living area munched down the last of his sandwich. Elanza hadn't moved, and Ketherlan called out for her again, louder. Irritated at him, Eric opened the bedroom door and asked, "What's up?"

Ketherlan lifted his head up the pillow. "Is Lady Elanza here?"

"She's sleeping," Eric stated.

"You have a spare bed?" Ketherlan asked.

"In a chair, out here," Eric said, tipping his head.

Ketherlan frowned. "Perhaps Eldarn will give his bed up for her. My poor dear will be very uncomfortable sleeping like that," he mussed.

"What did you want?" Eric asked, getting to the point.

Ketherlan let out a sigh. "I need to be propped up, I expect breakfast soon."

Eric tightened his hold on the door knob. "I think Lady Elanza is exhausted, probably best to leave her be. How about a cold meat sandwich with butter and cheese?" Eric asked.

"I am used to a healthy, hot breakfast." Ketherlan stated.

"Right, hold onto that thought," Eric told him and shut the door.

Eric went to Elanza and carefully picked her up with her pillow and blankets. He took her into his bedroom and laid her down and covered her up. He made sure the door was shut, then returned to Ketherlan. Opening the door, Eric said, "Lady Elanza is out like an old fire. I think Eldarin is already up and out. So, if you don't want to wait, I'll get you that sandwich. Otherwise, I have to go find someone to cook."

Ketherlan looked at Eric in disbelief. "Lady Elanza is able to care for my needs," he said.

"Lady Elanza is so tired, she didn't even wake up when I carried her in and put her to bed," Eric countered.

"In the spare bed?" Ketherlan asked.

"In my bed. I shut the door, so she probably won't hear anything short of a giant rock crashing through the roof..."

"In YOUR bed!" Ketherlan asked as he sat up glaring at Eric.

"Hey," Eric replied, in the same tone, "I ain't useing it and she needs rest. You can be uncomfortable for a while, it ain't gonna kill ya. I'll be back in a few hours." He shut the door and left.

Walking down the street, Eric wondered if he could find a maid that would be willing to put up with Lord Ketherlan of the Elves. Eric himself had no patience left for him.

.

Eric was greeted by everyone he passed. He found out a memorial was planned for all those who had died defending the town, and agreed to make a speech in their honor. He then let it be known he was looking for a maid. Three women and a teenage girl showed up at the constable's office, eager to work. Eric could offer nothing more than room and board, but all four insisted they wanted to help him. When Eric told them he only has one room he could make into a small bedroom, he thought they were going to start a cat-fight over who got to be his maid. Not willing to say no to any of them, he had them come to the house in the early afternoon so Elanza could decide for him.

The aftermath of the Hobgoblin attack was worse than the actual battle. It was still an entire community effort. Cleaning up the bodies, the townspeople buried their dead, and cart what seemed to be thousands dead Hobgoblins out of town to throw on a bonfire, and rebuilding the houses that had

gotten damaged - or tearing them down due to blood soaked into floors and walls and adding the debris to the bonfires.

Discussing the burnt and broken town walls, Eric, Ramon, and Edward decided to rebuild it with rock and fire hardened clay brick. It would be a big project, and had to wait until the other recovery work was finished. Then there was still the normal work to do. For the next few months, the town was going to be very busy.

Eric went back to his house with his prospective maids. He noted the remains of the elven guard outside with a cart. Inside, Ketherlan was being helped out by two of the guards.

Noting this, Eric asked him, "Heading home?"

"Yes, it appears we are being an excessive burden. I should be recuperating at home," Ketherlan stated. Seeing the women, he asked, "You have recruited maids?"

"Trying to. Have breakfast yet?" Eric asked.

"My dear Elanza has taken care of everything. She is currently packing our belongings."

Eric nodded. It was probably better that they left before he made trouble with the elves by beating on one of their lords. "Have a safe trip, we'll resume work on your residence after we get the town cleaned up from the battle," Eric assured him.

Holding the door for the women as they went in, Eric watched Ketherlan's elves lift him up into the back of the wagon. By the look on is face, one would think he was mortally wounded.

Elanza had a pair of large bags sitting by the door. Coming from the bedroom Ketherlan had been using, Elanza noted the women, then said, "Eric, could you come with me for a moment?"

Eric motioned the maids to the table to wait, and followed Elanza into his room. The instant he entered, Elanza shut the door. Cupping his face, she gave him a kiss and said, "Thank you for the wonderful time."

"You're welcome," Eric said automatically. Slightly confused, he added, "Let me know when you want to fight another battle."

Elanza laughed and shook her head. "Not that part," she said with a giggle. Gazing softly at him, she said, "Sharing your music, your time, and yourself with me."

"Um, yeah about that," Eric mussed, itching his ear. "You're married, aren't you?"

Elanza nodded. She pursed her lips and said, "Ketherlan is a good man. My parents picked well for me. There are some things that ... he isn't the best at."

"Elanza," Eric whispered, as he contemplated what she was telling him.

"We have to go, but hopefully we'll be back before winter," she said, gave him another peck on the cheek and hurried out.

Eric followed, and watched her call a couple elves to get the bags then went out to the cart. Following them, Eric watched and exchanged waves with Elanza as two elves took the handles and pulled the cart down the road. He ran through the events of the night he'd carried Elanza to bed. She'd been so happy, carefree and quite the lover. Having an arraigned marriage in a noble house, Eric

imagined Elanza didn't get a lot of that. Still, it was a huge risk to take if they had gotten caught, she had to know that. That made her seem even more desperate for affection.

Eric closed the door, sure his troubles were over for the moment, then remembered the four women waiting patiently for him at his table.

...

"Eric ...Tanis... Will you answer to SOMETHING!"

Eric snapped out of thoughts to see Elanza ... no, it was Abby looking up at him trying to get his attention. He'd been daydreaming, or rather remembering. In the mean time, the horse had stopped at a ford, and was standing in the stream, drinking. The reins in Eric's hands were limp. "Huh?" he asked.

"Camp, you know, setting up for dinner? Sleeping for the night?" Abby asked, looking flustered. "The sun's going down, so we should at least make a fire."

"Yeah," Eric said, getting his thoughts of the present together. He snapped the reins and got the wagon across the stream and onto a flat spot. He tethered the horse and began setting camp up. Abby helped get a fire gong, then took over the cooking detail. Eric set the wagon up for the night, pulling the cover over and rearranging the supplies to clear a place to sleep.

Abby was NOT Elanza, Eric had to remind himself of that as he watched her. The only thing the empty-headed elf with him had in common with his wonderful lover so long ago was the same face. Abby was a ghost, reminding him every day of what he'd lost. A specter to torture him with sweet and bitter memories. The sooner her dumped her off someplace, the better!

"We should be getting there soon," Abby said firmly as she headed for the stream. "It will be nice to have a hot bath, instead of having to clean up in a stream."

"Why don't you wait until after dinner, then heat up some water to wash with?" Eric asked.

Abby eyed him. She then stomped back to glare at Eric. "I could have been cleaning myself with WARM water all this time?" she cried.

Eric shrugged and explained, "I dumped you in the stream to get you clean the first time because you stank, but yeah, you can wash up with hot water. It's what I do."

"Why have you been letting me use cold stream water then?" she asked as her face reddened in anger.

"You did it, not me," Eric said defensivly.

Straightening herself, Abby confidently said, "Doesn't matter, we'll be coming to that castle soon."

"In about two and a half weeks, we haven't even gotten to the Solace road yet," Eric said, correcting her.

Abby turned and stomped over to sit by the fire. "Fine! I'll use hot water tonight." In a grumble, she added, "We should have bought a good tub. Instead, I have to wash in a pot."

Eric stared into the fire, ignoring her. Hot baths in iron tubs ...

. . . . . . . . .

Winter came early in Gateway, and with it, a heavy snow. Ketherlan had gone back home a couple weeks ago, avoiding the storm. Elanza somehow lingered long enough for the roads to become impassible. Eric was fine with that. Eric loved soaking in a hot bath with Elanza cuddled up with him, although they spent little time actually getting washed.

Eldarin stayed as Elanza's escort, but as of late, he seemed to be spending more time with one of Eric's maids, Catherine. Eric had to have an addition built onto his house, now having four maids.

While Eldarin and Catherine took long walks and visited people in town, Eric sat on the couch by the fire with his feet up and with Elanza lying with her head on his lap. The blanket over Elanza hid the fact she was holding his hand up under her shirt and firmly to her breast. Relaxing like this, they talked about the construction of the elven residence, town business, and what songs they were going to play at Charlie's Inn.

On these cold winter nights, they cuddled close in bed, Elanza reveling in Eric's attentions as he enjoyed her lithe body. By the time spring came around, they had fallen hopelessly in love. They did almost everything together. Eric and Elanza always filled Charlie's Inn when they played. Eric was by Elanza's side as they inspected the work on the elven residence. During town meetings, Elanza stated she was there to 'give elven support' to their efforts. Small talk after meetings circulated rumors that the only one Elanza was supporting, was Eric. Although they took pains not to show their affections in public, people could clearly see it in their eyes when they looked at each other.

. . . . . . . . .

"Hey!" Abby yelled as she held out a bowl of stew.

Eric snapped back to reality and blinked at her.

Abby handed Eric his bowl of stew, asking ,"What's with you? You're mind isn't going soft, is it?" In a worried tone, she added, "Mom started doing that, and it wasn't long before she just kept on staring off at nothing, and no one could bring her back."

Sitting by Eric, Abby grabbed his arm and kept on. "You can't do that to me, you hear? You can't just drift off and leave me here all alone! I need you!"

The last three words echoed in Eric's head. _'I need you'_. That was what Elanza had said to him. Eric patted Abby on the hand. "It's OK. I was just thinking about things ... that were," he offered.

"Well, just ... stop. I got lucky enough to find you. I don't want to loose you and be sold into slavery again, OK?" she pleaded.

Eric nodded at the pot. "Better grab yourself some," he said.

"I ate already, watching you stare off at nothing," Abby stated. "Please don't do that. That really worries me."

"All right," Eric said. Seeing her worried frown, he added, "I'm all right. There is nothing wrong with me."

Studying him with a serious look, Abby shook her head. "No," she mussed. "There is something wrong with you. If there wasn't, you would have taken me as a woman by now."

"I told you, I don't know you that well," Eric replied.

Abby shook her head sadly and plopped back into her spot by the fire. Gazing at him, she said, "That is not an excuse. We belong to each other, and you know it."

Eric dropped his eyes and focused on eating. For some reason, he wasn't very hungry. He did eat so the food wouldn't go to waste.


	6. Chapter 6

CH 6

Castle Mondar was more than just a keep with a wall around it. The main residence of Sir Mondar did sit atop the rolling hill, and did have a wall around it. Beyond the inner wall were concentric rings of four more walls, with buildings and main streets in between each set of walls.

Each ring of the wall system had four gates, offset from each other so there was no straight path from one ring into the next. An invader would have to move under fire between the walls to get to the gate into the next inner ring. With farms and fields within the ringed walls, as well as the many businesses, homes and shops that had grown within the protection of the tall barriers protected by armed knights, Castle Mondar was more of a small city.

Tanthalas rode his horse at an easy walk toward the inner gates of Castle Mondar with an honor guard of two of Mondar's Knights leading his band. Sir Herling of Palanthas rode beside Tanthalas, two of Sir Herling's squires rode behind them, their supply wagon bringing up the rear.

Upon coming to the gatehouse of the inner wall, Tanthalas noted Sir Mondar in light chain, mounted and waiting for them. The white bearded Knight raised his hand in greeting.

"Lord Tanthalas, Sir Herling! Welcome to my humble home," Sir Mondar announced.

Tanthalas rode up beside him and shook his hand. "Good to see you, Sir Mondar. Thank you for meeting with us."

"Greetings, Brother Knight," Sir Herling said with a pleasant smile. "You seem to have created your own kingdom here."

Sir Mondar waved a hand saying, "I'm no king. I am just a Knight doing what he can to provide for the safety and welfare of the common folk. Just as the Founder himself would have done."

Tanthalas knew that Sir Mondar considered himself a Solamnic Knight, and anyone who did not want a duel, would agree with him. Sir Mondar did uphold Solamnic traditions, but in his own way with an almost fanatical support for common folk, and not to much emphasis on his personal glory. Like most leaders in the Gateway area, they tended not to glorify themselves, but insisted on a more humble approach to leading the masses. Supposedly, the founder of Gateway had ruled in this manner,and ever since any leader who did not follow his lead, did not get very far.

"I had thought the Founder was a myth," Sir Herling said.

Sir Mondar cast Sir Herling a tight grin. "The Founder was real. As to what his name was, that is in dispute, but his existence isn't. His statue is inside the old city hall in Gateway, I saw it right after I first became a Knight. It was a final requirement for me to be considered a true Knight of the Realm."

"It seems to me that a statue of a great man should be displayed, not kept hidden away," Sir Herling noted.

Raising a finger, Sir Mondar said, "It is a reminder. The Founder is watching us, unseen but always present. If the rulers of Gateway or the outlying communities ever fall into corruption and greed, he will return to strike down the offenders. Just as anyone who comes into a ruling position in the area, I was shown the statue. I memorized his face so if I see him, I will be able to recognize him."

"And you believe this?" Sir Herling asked.

"I have seen similar legends," Tanthalas said, "And at least one that was true."

Sir Mondar gave Tanthalas an appreciative nod. "When I first saw you, M'Lord, had to return to the old City hall to study the Founder's statue. I had though he was returning, but alas, you are not he."

Tanthalas almost laughed. Him, a founder of a city and supposedly the one to get elves to accept a human city on their doorstep? He was sure even his father-in-law, Solsteran would find that funny.

"Why not have the Founder's statue in public so everyone can see him?" Sir Herling asked again.

"The founder does not want his face known to any but community leaders, so he can move among the people unobserved," Sir Mondar stated. "Please come and make yourselves comfortable. Your quarters are ready, and you must be tired from your trip."

Tanthalas was curious about one thing, "This founder, has anyone else you know seen this statue of the Founder?" He was beginning to think that the 'Founder' may well be a silver dragon that was watching over them.

"Yes, M'Lord, an old Elf who resides here as the elven representative, though he is more here to stay under our protection than he is as an active official. We brought him here for safety right after the dragons attacked," Sir Mondar explained. Leading them to his residence that was good sized, but not quite a mansion, he added, "Lord Eldarin is the only one I know who has personally seen the Founder."

"If this Founder is still around, why didn't he come to fight the Black Knights and evil dragons?" Sir Herling asked.

"Maybe he did, but not here," Tanthalas mussed.

"That is our thoughts as well," Sir Mondar agreed. "Many realms were at war. The only way we will ever know, is if the Founder tells us."

"Little chance of that happening," Sir Herling said to Tanthalas in a whisper.

.

The dark clouds overhead gave no relief, soaking Eric and his wagon in a downpour. Abby rode in the back of the wagon that now bore a rounded canvas cover. No sense in both of them being miserable.

Eric hated rain, and even more so when he was traveling. They traveled the last two days into Solace under rain clouds. Sometimes the sky only dripped in drizzles, others if poured down hard and constant. For the last two days, it had not let up. His wide brimmed hat drooping from the constant beating it took from the wet weather, Eric guided his horse into the stables across from the Inn of The Last Home. He paid the stable master, made sure Abby had her rain cloak on, and headed to the Inn to get a room.

At one time, The Inn of the Last Home had been perched up in the Vallenwood trees, as most buildings in Solace had been. After the last war -and Kyrnn was constantly at war - the great Vallenwood trees and the homes they supported were burned down. Another unique featureof the old world destroyed by the constant conflict that was Kyrnn.

Eric paused briefly at the door of the Inn after he opened it. Abby stepped inside, thinking he was being gentlemanly with her. Eric had paused to scan the room for any familiar faces. Finding none, he followed her in to an empty table, got her seated then went over to the bar and ordered ale,a room, and two plates of ham and spiced potatoes. He got his key and room number, and went back to the table.

For once, Abby was being patient. She sat in her chair until Eric came back. "Dinner's on it's way, and I got a room with real beds," Eric told her as he sat down.

Abby nodded, watching him. "Are you feeling all right? You're not going to stare off at nothing again, are you?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Abby."

"I was thinking we should get you to a doctor, or a wizard before it's too late," Abby mussed.

"I'm fine, Abby," Eric said a little more firmly.

"Maybe the barkeep knows..."

"Abby! I'm fine. Drop it!" Eric growled.

Casting Eric the same irritated look as he was giving her, Abby said, "I told you before, you're NOT fine! Even when you're not staring at nothing, I can see something is not right. If I loose you I .. might as well die myself."

"OK, that's going a bit far," Eric said with a sigh.

"No it's not. The only thing I have ... have ever had is you," Abby said, scowling at him. "You're mean, but you do everything you can to take care of me." Reaching out, she clasped Eric's hand. "Please, I don't ask for anything, do I? Just do this one thing for me, and I'll do whatever you want."

The ale came then the young waitress returned again to pass out their plates of ham and slices potatoes that were covered in a cream sauce that sported dark speckles.

"Excuse me," Abby asked the waitress. "We're looking for someone who performs healing. Do you know of anyone?"

The red haired waitress hesitated, then said, "The doctor's two buildings down from the stable across the street. He usually comes in every day about now if you'd like to speak with him."

"OH yes!" Abby said eagerly. "You see..." she paused to glance at Eric then said, "Eric here has been having trouble with staying coherent."

"I have not," Eric stated.

"You have too, I've seen it!" Abby stated.

"She's exaggerating, I'm fine," Eric told the waitress.

"He is not," Abby assured the waitress. "He won't even admit certain things to himself."

"Abby, stop it," Eric begged.

"Well, you won't!"

Eric picked up his fork and showed it to Abby. "Maybe we should forget this nonsense and eat before it gets cold," he stated, then dug in.

"Eric is not a well man,"Abby confided to the waitress.

The waitress put a hand over her mouth to hide a giggle. "Perhaps you are mistake? He looks fine to me."

Abby shook her head. "I know my husband," she stated, which caused Eric to choke on the bite he was about to swallow. "At times, he forgets who I am, he'll stare off at nothing for hours, and forgets his own name!"

As Eric hacked and got a good swallow of ale to recover from his choking fit, the waitress said, "That does sound serious."

"Abby!" Eric barked, not happy with her. "Stop bothering the lady." To the waitress, he said, "None of that is true."

"Is is too!" Abby stated.

"Yeah?" Eric asked, then waved a hand at Abby and said, "Tell her your real name then. Go ahead."

"Maybe I should tell her YOURS!" Abby shot back.

"Afraid to, aren't you?" Eric asked, "Because then she'll realize that you've fallen off your horse."

"Excuse me, I have other customers," the waitress said, and hurried away.

Abby glanced at the departing waitress then turned to Eric and growled, "I'm trying to help you, and you go and scare her away!"

"Then stop trying to help ... Please!"

"Fine!" Abby snapped and stood up. Seeing the room key on the table, she snapped it up. "I'll be in my room if you wish to apologize!" she announced loudly, which made everyone turn to look at them.

Eric stared at her as he watched her storm away. His first impulse was to go after her. Thinking about that, he wondered why he would do that. Abby was driving him nuts with her idiotic behavior and the fact she reminded him so vividly of his long lost love. In fact, this may be an finished his dinner, visited the barkeep, then went back out to the stables. He knew Abby would not be up until mid morning unless he got her up. He got up into his wagon an laid out his blankets. He'd be up and gone miles down the road long before Abby even woke up. The money he'd left for her at the Inn would be plenty to get her someplace safe.

.

Sir Mondar put on a fine dinner, and Tanthalas got to meet the aged elf named Eldarin. Eldarin's thin hair was gray, and he needed a cane to walk, but he was bright eyed still full of life. They talked about many things, and finally got around to the topic of the Founder of Gateway.

"Sir Mondar tells me you've seen the Founder?" Tanthalas asked.

Eldarin bobbed his head. "I'm probably the last person alive to have seen him in person. Quite the fellow he is," he said.

"He is?" Tanhalas asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Perhaps good Lord Eldarin has mis-spoken," Sir Herling offered.

Eldarin shook his head. "I did not mis-speak. Although I haven't seen him in ... oh, about a hundred years or so, I know he's around someplace."

"What is the founder?" Tanthalas asked. "I suspect he's maybe a dragon who wore a human guise?"

Eldarin let out a chuckle. Casting Tanthalas a crooked grin, he said, "I don't think so, M'Lord. I remember Eric in some pretty compromising positions. He's human, I have no doubt about that," he said with a wink. "Like the first time I met him. He was playing a lyre like I've never heard anyone play before! The sounds he made come out of that instrument were utterly amazing! It was later that night when he and Lady Elanza played at Charlie's Inn." With a grin of remembrance, he said, "That was one night I think no one wanted to ever end. The music was wonderful."

Tanthalas eyed Eldarin. "You new my mother?" he asked.

"Oh yes. I was her footman, followed her everywhere. She was a fine woman, and very brave," Eldarin said as he gazed off at nothing briefly before returning his gaze to Tanthalas. "Lady Elanza helped fight off the Hobgoblins when they came. Thousands of them, we were all sure we were going to meet our ends, but Lady Elanza stood right with the townspeople." Shaking his head sadly, he added, "It was a rotten shame what happened to her. She deserved better."

"Yeah," Tanthalas agreed heavily. He'd been told all too often how he'd come to be. It was a black mark on his soul he would never be free of.

Seeing the dark look on Tanthalas' face, Erldarin said, "It's not quite like you think, Tanis."

"I know what happened to my mother," Tanthalas said bitterly.

Eldarin looked down at the table. His hand curled into a fist. "You do NOT!" he spat. Looking up at Tanthalas with fire in his eyes, Eldarin said, "I was there! I was there with them every moment, and that story about your mother being ..." suddenly he stopped and looked around at the people before telling Tanthalas in a harsh whisper, "I have kept this secret all my life. For her, for YOU. It's time you learned the truth, boy. But not here."

Tanthalas stared at Eldarin. Had he been lied to his entire life about his mother?

...

Eric sat on the stable yard fence beside Elanza, looking out over the thriving town of Gateway. "I miss this," he said absently. Turning to Elanza, he studied the graceful upsweep of her eyebrows, her pretty hazel eyes. "I miss you."

Elanza cast him a gentle smile. "What of our son? How is he?" she asked.

"Fine, last I knew," Eric told her. "You should see the fine man he's become."

"But you don't let yourself be known to him, do you. Is my Eric a coward?" she asked with a hurt tone in her voice.

Suddenly, Eric was standing in the woods. In front of him, a group of warrior men and women were making camp. He was right there, Eric could see his son sitting on the ground and talking to his blonde elven girlfriend. "Way to go, boy," Eric said cracking a grin.

"Why are you hiding," Elanza asked from beside him.

Eric swallowed. "It's best," he said. He knew from Eldarin what life was like for his son, a half human in an elven world. It wasn't easy, and Eric knew he was looked down on. At least he was safe, and they did teach him how to take care of himself. If the elves knew who his father was, Eric was sure things would turn bad very fast for his son.

"Why? Why are you hiding from me?" Elanza asked pleadingly from Eric's side.

Suddenly Eric was lying down, Elanza gazing at him questioningly. "I really miss you," he said gently.

"I'm right here," she said in a soft tone and petted his cheek.

...

Eric awoke in the back of his wagon. It was still dark, the sky deep purple in the pre-dawn. The pet on his cheek was real. Abby lay beside him, gazing at him with watery eyes. He knew it was Abby, but her soft look and gentle manner was an overpowering reminder of his beloved Elanza. Eric was tired of reality. In front of him right now was the fantasy of having his long dead lover beside him again. He no longer had the strength to resist.

Eric pulled her into a kiss. Hugging her, he whispered, "I need you."

"I'm right here," she replied gently. "Love me," she said as she squeezed him tight.

In the back of their wagon with the sky slowly lightening into dawn, Eric loved his wonderful Elanza.


	7. Chapter 7

CH 7

Tanthalas was kept occupied by his mission for Sir Mondar's support for a join operation to get rid of the evil forces in the area. Sir Mondar assured Tanthalas not only would he supply men, but offered his castle as a base of operation and supply for the upcoming task. Tanthalas gave him the plans, including dates and troop movements. Sir Mondar gave Tanthalas a map of routes his men could take to avoid the main road and possibly catch the enemy by surprise. It was a fruitful evening. With Sir Mondar's help, Tanthalas was sure he could get Gateway back from the clutches of the Black Knights.

It was the next afternoon when Tanthalas hunted down Lord Eldarin. The old elf took him on a walk along the little traveled parapets of the second ring wall. Other than the occasional pair of guards patrolling, they strode along by themselves.

Eldarin tapped his cane against the castellated top row of stone with the arrow slits in them. "All the fire hardened brick below this top row is held together with large metal staples and vertical rod. Only this top row is free standing," he explained. "If someone were to try and throw a rope up to climb, they'd reach this stone all right, as it was coming down on them."

Tantahlas chuckled at the way the old elf explained the construction. "A design of yours?" he asked.

"Eric's," Eldarin stated. "After the Hobgoblin attack, Eric had the core of the town wall built of fire hardened clay brick, not rubble like most places. The bricks were large with vertical holes in them and spaces for staples. They were held together on each row, and column. We did a test wall ten feet high about thirty long. We beat that wall to the ground with rams, but it never broke apart. Gateway's walls are built that way and covered with thick stone facing, and so are these walls. Takes a bit of extra time, but they are the sturdiest walls you'll ever see."

"I've never heard of building a wall in such a manner, but I can see how it is better than a wall of stacked stone," Tanthalas agreed.

"Eric did a lot for Gateway," Eldarin stated. "The elven kingdom, too. I always admired the man for the ideas and things he seemed to just pull out of nowhere. He was quite the convincer also. Most of the time, he was able to talk nearly anyone into anything.

Tanthalas nodded only half interested in the topic. He hadn't wanted to see Eldarin to find out about Gateway. "He sounds like he was a great man. You said last night that you know what really happened with my mother. I'd really like to talk about that."

Eldarin cracked a grin and said, "We are, Tanis, we are. Lady Elanza fell for Eric, and he for her. I suppose you know about political intrigue. Gateway had it's share. The purpose for the elven residence Eric had built was officially to show the elves they were always were welcome to Gateway. The elves wanted it so they could keep an eye on the humans. The real reason it went up so fast, I suspect, was so Lady Elanza could see more of Eric."

"My mother was ..." Tanthalas started, shocked at the accusation.

"Cheating, sleeping around, call it what you will," Eldarin said with a shrug. "I call it a red hot love affair. The truth was that Eric gave Elanza everything she craved. The friendship, passion and attention she needed as a woman. Elanza did love Ketherlan and supported him, but she had no lust for him, or he for her. Their marriage was arraigned. What Ketherlan couldn't give Elanza, she got from Eric in copious amounts." Smiling in remembrance, he said, "They drove me crazy! I was terrified someone , especially Ketherlan, would find out about them and cause a big conflict, even a war!"

Chuckling, Eldarin said as if telling a secret, "One time, Ketherlan was calling for Lady Elanza, and he passed the room her and Eric had snuck into! I thought I was going to have a heart attack, I was petrified he'd open that door!"

"And you saw this?" Tanthalas asked, stunned by this revelation. "I always heard my mother was a very devoted wife," he said weakly.

"And she was," Eldarin assured him. "Lady Elanza was a proper Lady, watched out for her husband and did anything her asked of her. The only exception was when she got near Eric. They couldn't keep their hands off each other, and after the first couple years they stopped trying. When we arrived in the spring, it was a given that Lady Elanza and Eric would disappear for a couple days and no one, not even the maids dared get near his bedroom door until one of them came out first. Lady Elanza also insisted on choosing a wife for Eric to be sure he was taken care of when she wasn't around. I'm not saying what they did was right or wrong. I'm only saying it was heartfelt."

"Then this Eric, he was my father?" Tanthalas asked.

"Oh yes. I saw the resemblance right after you were born. The story of Elanza being raped was spread by her family from the condition she was in when I got her back home. Elanza never corrected anyone, she let them assume. I agreed with it, if her family knew she had a human lover, she would have been cast out and possibly accused of having a hand in Ketherlan's demise if certain facts came out."

"You let everyone believe a lie," Tanthalas said accusingly.

"It worked at the time!" Eldarin said firmly. "Elanza was pregnant, and she had just lost everyone she loved!" Eldarin said angrily. "Her closest friends, her husband, her lover, all gone in one horrid day. The Lady was a wreck. It was weeks before she would do anything but lay in bed and stare out the window. Even longer for her to say a word to anyone. Her spirit was broken, Tanis, she was nothing but a hollow shell of her former self. The only thing she had to live for, was you. If she hadn't been pregnant with you, she wouldn't have lived as long as she did. Lady Elanza died in childbirth because she was so weak, her body could not handle the strain."

Calming himself, Eldarin frowned off at nothing. "I did not want to tell Eric that Elanza had died. To be truthful, I was afraid he might kill me. As it turned out, the news broke him also. He's never been the same since."

After a pause, Eldarin said, "If you want to find out more about your mother, talk to your father. He can tell you more than anyone. Just don't mention my name. He'll be angry at me for telling you, and I'd like to live out my last years in peace."

"Why does my father want this kept secret?" Tanthalas pressed. "Is he ashamed of me, or doesn't he care?"

Eldarin shot Tanthalas a hard look. "You were taken in by the Speaker's family. At the time, Eric was far from the fatherly type. And yes, I had told him before about the story of Elanza being raped as the reason she was pregnant. Mostly, he was drunk, looking for a fight, or both. The intelligent, reasonable man died with Elanza, he was fast turning into someone you would not want to meet. Even in his degrading condition, he wanted you to have a good home. The last time I met with him, which was when you were four, he gave me a sack of silver and gold coins to keep for you. It was the money you received as a wedding present from your late mother."

"You said he was degrading into a brigand?" Tanthalas asked in thought.

Eldarin nodded sadly. "Eric was always firm, but the last time I saw him, he was downright mean. He didn't care about anything, or anyone. I'd known him for years but that last time, I was afraid of him. He knocked me over with that sack of coin when he 'gave' it to me by throwing it at me, then laughed as I struggled on the ground. It was hard to believe he was the same man who had made Gateway into a community, defended it, and helped the people there prosper."

"And he's alive now?" Tanthalas asked.

"Oh yes," Eldarin said wistfully, "I watched Eric die three times. Twice when the Hobgoblins attacked, and once when Ketherlan ran him through for sleeping with Elanza. That was the beginning of a that fateful day. Ketherlan fled Gateway that day with Elanza and his entourage. He knew as soon as word got out he'd killed Eric, every human in the town would be out for his blood. I thought for sure Eric was dead, but after we were attacked by a group paid to assassinate Ketherlan, Eric showed up and ripped into the attackers like a madman. He scared the hell out of that wizard, Miral. Miral zapped him when he refused to leave Elanza lying in the mud. Eric did flinch from the bolt, then he got up and beat the crap out of Miral," Eldarin finished with a smirk.

"Why was Miral there?" Tanthalas asked.

"Miral set up the ambush to kill Ketherlan, and any witnesses," Eldarin said darkly. "And Eric promised Miral that if he harmed Elanza, or if anything happened to her, Eric would come back and pull his guts out and strangle him by them. After Elanza died, Miral begged me to go explain what happened to save his own sorry life. Why do you think Miral took pains to be your friend for so long? He wanted to keep Eric from coming after him."

"Miral was that afraid of my father?"

Eldarin let out a sarcastic laugh. "Miral hit Eric with a lightning bolt that can kill a dragon. Eric shrugged it off and beat his ass. Tell me, wouldn't that make you a bit nervous?" Eldarin asked.

"I suppose it would," Tanthalas admitted.

"It made me nervous, and I wasn't the one Eric was mad at," Eldarin confided. "The man is frightening when he wants to be."

"I take it he returned to Gateway?"

"I imagine so. Ruled from the shadows for a while, I'm told," Eldarin explained. "Like I said, After you turned four, he stopped meeting with me. Only saw him once after that."

Seeing Tanthalas eyeing him, Eldarin continued. "It was in Solace, bout hundred years or so ago. You're been gone with that dwarf friend of yours ,Flint, for a while. I remembered Eric liked Solace, so I spent decade there, working for the stable master hoping I'd see him pass through. One night, I saw the loft door above the street was open. Well, I knew the Stable Master didn't like that. I climbed up to go shut in, and just inside the loft by that door sat Eric in the hay. He was watching the Inn and drinking from this bottle."

Eldarin gave a shudder. "That was nasty stuff he had! He'd mixed elven wine, Dwarven ale, and some ... white liquor together. I couldn't even stand the smell, but he was drinking it like water. He glanced at me, then went back to his vigil. I asked him what he was doing up there. He didn't answer, so I told him I had to shut the loft door. He told me not to touch it, so I didn't. I new better than to cross him, so I asked him why he wasn't drinking up in the Last Home with everyone else. He told me you were up there. I asked him why he didn't go up to at lest meet you."

Eldarin then said quietly, "Eric gave me this ... look from hell. I backed off a ways, afraid he was going to jump me. His face was all scrunched up as he said in a nasty voice, 'would you want to meet your mothers' rapist?'. He turned back to watching the Inn again and told me to go. I did. I went back in the morning and he was gone."

"He's been watching me," Tanthalas said thoughtful. Had his father been keeping an eye on him all this time?

"All I know is what I see," Eldarin said.

"I met him once," Tanthalas offered. "This wizard sent me back to a seaside town where he was. He was ... just like I'd been told. A soulless ... animal."

"It was probably not long after Elanza died," Eldarin mussed. "Can't say what he's like now. It would be interesting to see him ... from a safe distance."

Despite the gravity of their discussion, they way he said it made Tanthalas chuckle. "So would I," he said, then added thoughtfully, "If he knew Gateway was still in the hands of the Black Knights, do you think he'd help defeat them?"

Eldarin frowned a bit and said, "I think he'd made his presence known, rather violently. That was, unless he's got his sanity back. If he had his sanity back, he'd lead an army into Gateway and wouldn't stop until they were all wiped out."

"What about those walls Gateway has? Sir Mondar isn't sure we can get in unless we catch them with the gates open," Tanthalas said.

Eldarin cracked a grin and said, "Eric designed those walls. If there's a way in, he's the only one who knows about it."

.

"Where ya headed off to?" The stable Master asked Eric as he got the horse hitched to the wagon.

Coming around from the back of the wagon, Eric nodded toward the south. "Going to stop at Castle Mondar and do a little business, then down to Gateway and get Abby here up to Qualinesti."

The Stable Master eyed him and said, "Gateway's Black Knight territory now."

"It is?"

"Yeah, and if you're seen coming from Castle Mondar, they tend to take you prisoner, confiscate everything you have, then ask questions. Every once in a while, someone who's escaped them comes by. It isn't a pretty place any more," he said in a foreboding tone.

"That's so, huh?" Eric asked in a heavy tone.

"It is. If I were you, I'd stay clear of that place."

Eric looked off to the south. Despite being away for so long, Eric still felt a responsibility to the people of Gateway. He had to see what was going on there. "Thanks for the warning," he said. He dug out an extra silver and paid the man, then got up on the wagon and drove away.

Eric noted Abby giving him an odd look as they rode out of town. "What?" he asked.

"After this morning I thought I mean something to you," Abby said, eyeing him.

She looked disappointed. Eric wasn't sure if she wanted to cry, or scream at him. He explained it the best way he could, "Look, the last thing I want is for you to be in danger, so I'm dropping you off at Castle Mondar then I'm going to Gateway. After it's safe, I want you to go live with the elves for a while," he offered. Seeing that didn't seen to affect her, he added, "You're an elf. You should see how elves live who aren't caged up."

"You're coming back for me, aren't you?" she asked.

"You might find you like living with them a whole lot better than being on this wagon," Eric told her. "Tell you what. After I get you to the elves, I'll come back in a year. If you want to ride around with me, hop on. If you'd rather stay there, then that's OK too. Your choice."

"I choose you," Abby said quickly.

Eric shrugged. "You may not be so sure after you're there for a while. You should at least see how your own people live. I think you'll be very sorry if you don't," he said evenly.

Abby gave a stiff nod. Eyeing him she said, "One year. But DON'T you be late!"

.

Eric drove on until they came to a stream near the road. There, he stopped and watered the horse and gave him some grain while Abby dug in the food box for some traveling snacks. Going on until afternoon, Eric noted a single rider ahead of them come into view, then turn and go back the way he came.

"Damn," Eric grumbled. He had a gut feeling they were about to get ambushed. The horse had been plodding along most of the day pulling a heavy wagon. A fast gallop to get by the ambush wasn't practical. Eric looked for a place to pull off the road.

Searching to the side, Eric noted a track angled off to the left. By the grass and brush growing on it, it hadn't been used in a while. He turned off onto it and went along until he could barely see the road in the distance.

When he stopped, Abby got up and said, "Get some firewood, I'll make the fire pit."

"Not tonight," Eric told her. "No fire, we eat cold. And don't take anything off the wagon, except feed and water for the horse."

Abby frowned at him. "First you turn off onto this ... goat path and leave a perfectly good road, and now we have to camp cold?" she asked, eyeing him like he was crazy.

"Don't like getting ambushed," Eric replied. "Keep a watch on the road over there. If you see people looking like they are searching for something, let me know."

"Ambushed?" Abby asked as her eyes went wide.

"Don't know for sure, but it's a good possibility," Eric told her. He hadn't seen anyone else on the road yet. If it was an ambush, they'd be coming to look and see where he'd gone.

They ate a cold meal. Eric told Abby to get some rest, he'd wake her up to keep watch later. Abby wasn't happy about the idea, but did as he asked. The moon was out, Eric could see the road. Around him, he heard animal sounds, but nothing that sounded big or dangerous, and no signs of anyone trying to creep up on them.

The moon was high when he did notice a large group of riders heading north. After those riders went by, a few more followed. People usually didn't ride at night unless it was something urgent. A little later a large shadow passed by. Looking up, Eric saw the dragon above scanning the road for a ways before it turned and headed to the east. Something was going on.

.

Eric tried to wake Abby up in the middle of the night. She groaned and tossed, and dug herself further into the covers. Too tired to put up with the maniac she'd be if he did get her up, he stayed up watching the whole night. Other than a couple animals, he didn't see anything.

In the morning, Eric did get Abby up to eat a warm breakfast and feed the horse. She grumbled that the sun wasn't up yet, but did move.

As they ate, Abby noticed Eric's slumped form. "Did you stay up all night?" she asked.

"Someone had to watch out for bandits," Eric said darkly as he eyed her.

Feeling like she had to do something for her husband, Abby said, "Then I'll drive. You can get some sleep."

"You're going to drive the wagon?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I know how," Abby said indignantly. "We're out in the middle of ...nowhere. What could happen?"

"Never ask that," Eric stated heavily.

"It will be fine, and you need some rest," Abby stated. "I'll wake you around noon, or if I see anyone, or if I find anything I'm not comfortable with."

"And if you come upon a hill, or a block in the road?"

"I'll wake you."

"Even if you see someone just standing and watching you?"

"I'll wake you," Abby said firmly. Seeing the apprehensive look on his face, she said, "I can handle driving a wagon."

Eric looked at the fire, then at the wagon. "OK, here's hoping," he said with a huff.

Abby felt good about herself for once in her life. She made sure Eric was comfortable in the back, and gave him a peck on the cheek before climbing up onto the seat. A light snap of the reins, and the horse began to plod along.

This was the closest to her dreams she had ever been. Ever since she was little, she'd had dreams of her rumple-nosed man paying her kind attentions in a large, soft bed. She'd found her man. Not some leering human who just wanted a hump, but HER man that would always take care of her. The one who truly loved her and would be beside her for the rest of their lives. The only thing that was missing was the log house he was going to build.

Abby could see that house in her mind, every detail of the walls and furniture, and even the crossbow he kept above the fireplace in the living room.. The place where Eric, if that's what he wanted to be called, was the Lord of the town, and everyone looked to him for advice.

Smiling as she watched the ground behind the horse, she happily remembered dreams of them having fun. She played a flute as he got amazing sounds out of a Lyre. Feeling tipsy as they played and drank the night away. OH, how she so wanted to do that! To be carried home in his loving arms.

Staring off at nothing, Abby didn't see the mounted men until she noticed horses bracketing them. Snapping her head up at the mounted men wearing armor and bearing spears, she let out a cry of fear. She clearly remembered Eric warning her about bandits. Her mind racing, Abby did the only thing she could think of. She tried to get in the back to wake Eric up. In her haste she tripped on the seat back to tumble down on top of him.

"WAKE UP ... WAKE UP!" she screamed as she jerked at his shoulder and watched the riders now beside them, wide eyed. Eric got up so fast, Abby lost her grip and tumbled onto her back.


	8. Chapter 8

CH 8

Eric immediately came awake and shot to his feet. He stood in the back of the wagon, which was now stopped from one of the riders holding the horse's reins. Eyeing the men around him, who were smirking. He noticed not one was drawing a weapon of making an aggressive move. Taking in the style and symbols on their armor, he figured them for Sir Mondar's men.

"Morning, Sir, we didn't mean to startle your Lady," one of the armored men said. "I am Sir Reginald. May I ask where you are heading?"

Eric nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Pete Jackson's the name. This here is Abigail Jackson," he said, motioning to Abby who was gapping at him from her prone position at his feet. "We were heading up to Castle Mondar to trade with Sir Mondar."

"Sir Mondar is expecting you then?"

"Could be. I was by last year, we had a good trade," Eric told him.

Sir Reginald looked around and said, "These woods aren't the safest place to be, Mr. Jackson, but you are on the right road. It will take you past an old keep, and right on to Castle Mondar. We're finished with our patrol. We'll escort you."

"Thank you. It's appreciated," Eric replied.

.

Standing at a table that showed a model of the area, complete with mountains and valleys, with roads , woods, towns and farms painted on them, Sir Mondar pointed out items as he told Tanthalas, "This road splits off just north of Solace, this one just south. They meet in this valley here to pass through a checkpoint, then follow the valley to right down here just north of the castle. Most of the road is overgrown, with tree canopy over it to hide it from dragons. I'd suggest you take your men around Solace. It reduces the risk of being seen. Over here, I've got a crew working at finding a hidden path to Gateway. If we can get close, we can catch them with the gates open."

Tanthalas nodded, "What are the Black Knights doing?"

"Guarding their territory, preparing to recieve an attack," Sir Mondar said. "They patrol and send out scouts, but are smart enough to stay away from armed contact. We know where they have built fortifications and blocks. I am sure we can get around them, and go straight to Gateway."

Tanthalas noted the layout of where Black Knight positions were marked. "If the town is attacked directly, from these places, they can come in from behind and trap an attacker against the town walls. I want to surround and take these checkpoints and fortifications first. Clear our backs," he said.

"And Gateway will know we're coming. It will not be a surprise." Sir Mondar stated.

"What are the chances of hitting them all at once?"

"Very poor. That would take more men than we have combined," Sir Mondar stated. "Don't forget, there are still dragons about. Three red dragons that we know of. They are not going to lay around and do nothing."

"Then maybe we need to find the dragons first," Tanthalas mussed. "We put up mountaintop watch posts, and figure out where they are coming from. Laurana should be here with men in a couple weeks. I'll send out a messenger totell her about this road north of Solace. Let's find out all we can about our enemy before then."

.

Eric drove the wagon behind the six lead riders of Sir Reginald's patrol. In pairs, riders peeled off and returned, investigating off to the sides. Coming to an old, run down fort, they stopped for the night. Mostly intact, the structure was a half acre of land surrounded by a ten foot stone wall with a wooden riser on the inside. The gate was a simple lift gate that when lowered, spanned the trench around the outer wall. After the crossed the ditch to enter, the bridge was lifted up. The building within had an old but intact roof with one large fireplace in the center. Stalls for the horses lined the doorway, Deeper in the building were a dozen walled off areas. The horses were let loose to roam the enclosure.

At the back of his wagon, Eric looked around the fort, studying the defenses and lack thereof. Sir Reginald noted his interest.

"This is a calm area, no real threats to speak of, so this is fort is plenty secure enough for the night." Sir Reginald said confidently.

"No standing garrison?" Eric asked.

"No need. This is a stopover post. We have them all along this road," Sir Reginald said, then with a smirk, added, "And every now and then, I think black knights use them on their patrols also. We've come in more than once, needing to only re-kindle the hot coals in the fireplace. Whoever it is picked up after themselves and refilled the wood box before they left, just as we do."

"Never understood that," Eric mussed. Seeing Sir Reginald eye him, he added, "This whole thing with 'white' and 'black' knights. No matter what, all knights seem to hold onto strict codes of honor and treat people at least as decently as people treat them. Never saw a true knight yet who did not hold his code of honor at least as important as his own life. So why don't all of you get together and stop all this conflict?"

Sir Reginald frowned at Eric and said, "You don't understand, Mr. Jackson. We serve Paladine, the black knights serve Takasis. We serve the holy God, they serve Evil. It is our sworn duty to drive them from the face of our world."

"And of course, their duty is to remove your kind as well," Eric concluded.

"Yes. So you see, Mr. Jackson, we must prevail," Sir Reginald said firmly.

"All I see is constant warfare with no end in sight," Eric mussed.

"Do you have a solution to propose?" Sir Reginald asked.

Eric nodded and explained, "Sir Reginald, I've been to this land where there are no knights, no Gods that rule, no kings or monarchs. One law rules the land. The will of the people. It's a land where people watch out for each other. They got fights, yeah. They got crime, they got greedy folk, and if there's a sin, I bet they've done it. They got holy folks and preachers, and good folk too." Eric told him, then added, "But if trouble comes, they stick together and stand side by side, saint and sinner, and you're in for a real fight."

"It sounds like anarchy," Sir Reginald noted. "I take it this place is a lawless land."

"The opposite, they have too many damn laws," Eric said with a snort. "I can't say I like slavery, but to each his own. It was a real heated topic there not long ago. The whole country took a stand, one way or the other. They had a big war over it. They called it the Civil War, and it left bodies in thick piles all over the country. Hundreds of thousands dead. In the end though, they settled the question. No more slavery, that's the law now."

"I fail to see how that is any different than our striving to rid the land of evil," Sir Reginald said.

"You never settle anything," Eric told him. "They had a big war, yeah. But now it's over, the question of slavery is settled. No slavery ever again. Here, every time you get up enough men to fight, you run out, kill off fields of good men in the name of a god until hardly anyone is left, then go back home and wait for more kids to grow up so they can train for war to add their bodies to the piles. It's gone on for hundreds of years, and there is no end in sight."

"And what would your answer be?" Sir Reginald asked, irritated at him.

"Screw the gods! They don't live in the towns, or on the farms," Eric stated. "The men in charge look out for the people, and answer TO the people. All knights stick together to upholding the law and protecting the land."

Sir Reginald blinked. "Are you saying we should abandon our gods?" he asked in shock. "The very beings who gave us life, who we owe our very existence to?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Eric stated. "Stop letting the gods rule your lives. Live and work for each other. Someone wants to worship a god, fine. Have at it so long as he doesn't mess with anyone else. Instead of fighting those black knights, work with them to keep order and build better, safer roads. Don't know about you, but I don't want my son to die in some war that had no purpose and will settle nothing."

Sir Reginald clenched his jaw, flushed in anger. "We have a purpose, and I am offended by your lack of faith, Sir!" he said caustically. Stepping back, Sir Reginald gripped the handle of his sword. "Sir, if you were a knight, I would call you to duel for such ... blasphemy!"

"You'd loose," Eric said evenly.

Beside himself in anger, Sir Reginald said, "You should thank Paladine you do not even have a sword. We will speak no more!" He turned and stomped away.

Abby tugged on Eric's sleeve. "I think we should go," she said quietly.

Eric noted the camp was set for the night. "No, we'll stay for the night," he mussed. "Just don't wander too far away from me."

.

Despite Sir Reginald's anger at Eric, he held to his promise and in three days they were at the walls of Castle Mondar. Winding back and forth through the streets, gate by gate, they made their way to the inner walls. Sir Reginald sent a rider on ahead so when they entered the inner sanctuary, the stables were ready to receive and care for their tired horses.

Upon entering the inner walls, Eric drove over to the stables. He helped Abby down as Sir Reginald strode stiffly over to them.

"Mr. Jackson, Sir Mondar will not be back until late tomorrow, however, accommodations for yourself and your lady have been arraigned." Sir Reginald said stiffly.

"Thank you, sir knight," Eric said with a nod. "Is the finance scribe available? I'd like to get the deal started."

"I shall have someone visit you. Will you be in your quarters?"

Eric tapped his finger on the top edge of the wagon rail. "I'll be right here until I meet with someone," Eric stated.

Turning to Abby, Sir Reginald asked, "May I show you to your quarters, M'lady?"

"Thank you sir, but I will wait with Mr. Jackson," Abby said.

"Very well." Sir Reginald said, and marched off.

Eric eyed Abby. "You call your husband Mr. Jackson?" he asked with a crooked grin.

Flustered at him, she hissed, "I forgot what you said your name was!"

"Peter. Peter Jackson. You're Abigail Jackson."

Abby eyed him curiously and asked, "Do you have a real name, or do you just keep making them up as you go along?"

"While we're here, just call me Peter."

Abby stared at him and shook her head. In a tone of exasperation, she said, "I think you forgot who you really are."

Eric noted Sir Reginald talking to an old elf and pointing over to him. "Seems we got someone coming. Lets get your things off the wagon." He moved to the back and dropped the gate.

"My things?" Abby asked suspiciously. "Why just my things?"

"I told you before. You're staying here while I go make sure it's safe to take you to Gateway," Eric reminded her, then hoisted himself up in the wagon. He got her bag and dropped back down. Abby grabbed her bag from him and threw it back on.

"I am not staying here without you," she stated.

"Yes, you are," Eric said firmly. He reached in and pulled her bag out, and threw into her.

"No, I am not!" Abby snapped, and threw the bag back on.

"Yeah, you are. Clothes or not," Eric said glaring at her.

"You're not leaving me here," Abby warned.

"Watch me!" Eric snapped back.

"Excuse me?" a meek voice asked.

Both Eric and Abby snapped their heads to the man to ask a harsh, "What?"

The old elf stared at them as his jaw slowly dropped. He stumbled back, and was caught by Sir Reginald. At first, Eric had no idea why the old elf looked so stunned. Then he noted the elf's face. He was old now, but Eric still recognized him. "Eldarin?" he asked.

Eldarin nodded. Before Eldarin could speak, Eric stepped up and grabbed his hand, pumping in in a shake. "It is so good to meet you, Sir!"

Turning to Abby, Eric made a point of saying, "Abigail, this man here is Eldarin, a very old and honorable elf. Mr. Eldarin, this is my wife, Abigail. I'm Peter Jackson, sir. I feel very honored to meet you."

Eldarin stared at Eric. "You are ..."

"Peter Jackson, Sir," Eric said with a nod.

"I see," Eldarin said slowly. "And you have something to trade, Mr ..."

"Jackson," Eric reinforced. "Yes, just like last year. Steel for gold, even weight. I take it you will make the arrangements?"

"If that is your wish," Eldarin said as he stared at the impossible. Eric and Elanza, here and together. He didn't know how it was possible, but he was sure Eric had somehow rescued Elanza back from the land of the dead. "I.. it is good to see both of you here," he said sincerely.

"If I could impose upon you, Mr. Eldarin," Eric said, noting Sir Reginald was eyeing him warily. "Mrs. Jackson will be staying to monitor the trade. I must visit someone in town."

"That will be fine. Perhaps later you might bring me up to date on your ... adventures?" Eldarin asked.

"Yes, when I return. Until then, please treat this wagon and all the goods on it as Mrs. Jackson's personal property, and guard it well," Eric said, trying to sound pleasant.

"Of course, Mr. Jackson," Eldarin replied. To Elanza, he said, "Please, allow me to be of service to you, M'Lady."

Abby eyed Eric and said, "You better be back by dinner time."

"I'll be as quick as possible," Eric assured her. He tipped his head and made his escape.

Abby watched Eric go, not happy at all with him. Turning to the old elf, she asked, "I suppose I should let you show me my quarters."

"Yes, of course, M'Lady. I must say, it is a joy to see you again. I will take great care with your belongings," Eldarin said sincerely.

"So, you do know us?" she asked.

"Yes, M'lady. And let me say it is an honor to serve you once again." Eldarin said, then called for servants to assist her.

This old man was the answer to Abby's prayers. "Excuse me," she said, and waved him close. In his ear, she whispered, "We have been so many places, and much of my life has been ... confusing. Do you know what my real name is?"

"Of course I do, Lady Elanza," Eldarin replied.

.

On her way to her quarters (which were three nicely appointed rooms including a bedroom with a HUGE bed,) Abby asked Eldarin about the dreams she's been having all her life. The log house was no dream, Eldarin had been there with her and Eric. The town, the music they used to play together, it all really happened!

Eldarin filled in details she hadn't been aware of. Eric wasn't her husband, but her lover. Her husband had been an elven Noble. There had been a raid that she and Eldarin had survived, but her husband had not. Thinking she had lost her husband and her lover, Elanza had suffered through pregnancy to die right after she gave birth to her son, Tanthalas.

"Eric has forbidden me to tell Tanthalas anything," Eldarin explained. "He doesn't know Eric is his father, and even I didn't know until now, that Eric managed somehow to bring you back. I would ask that at least until Eric returns, you do not say anything to Tanthalas either."

Abby eyed. Eldarin. "Is my son here?"

"He will be returning with Sir Mondar. As far as he knows, his mother died one hundred twenty years ago,"Eldarin explained.

Abby nodded. "So I died, then somehow, I came back," she mussed. "Well, if this is a new life for me, then I guess he is no longer truly my son."

Eldarin frowned, "I suppose that logic is ... reasonable."

Abby found she liked this life. Not just the finery. Eldarin, the old elf knew who she was. Her man, who although seemed a bit strange, he did love and care for her and they had once before had a good life. The son she had in her previous life with Eric, she could finally see and get to know. It felt like she had finally come home.

Abby and Eldarin got the steel and gold weighed and documented, then spent the evening discussing Abby's missing man. Eric didn't come back, even after it was getting late and the entire castle was turning in for the night. Having followed the exploits of Tanthalas, Eldarin filled Abby in on his life, and that of Laurana, the golden general. Again, he knew more than just rumor, he had facts.

In the morning, Abby met Eldarin at breakfast, and made sure everyone was on the lookout for 'Mr. Jackson' to return. He did not return, but in the afternoon, Sir Mondar returned with his men and Lord Tanthalas.

.

The horse Eric managed to buy was old, and the gear worn, but he didn't care as long as it got him to Gateway. Eric followed the roads until he saw checkpoints up ahead, then veered off into the woods. Following animal trails and his own sense of direction, Eric went slowly, dodging patrols and a a couple forts until he saw his town in the distance.

Gateway had grown in size. The original walls were now in the middle of town, with new thick stone walls surrounding the city. He also noted plenty of guards on the walls and around the gate he could see. The stream had been diverted to form a moat around the lower part of the city, with barrier thickets running up both sides along the hill. Outside the city, he saw a group of workers on the road with a few guards around them.

Eric let out a sigh and guided is horse down to the road. A wagon of minstrels passed ahead of him. He followed them until they got to a checkpoint. There they were stopped by a pair of spear toting guards and a pole across the road. As Eric approached, the minstrels were herded out of the wagon to play something to prove they were minstrels.

Eric stopped behind the group and watched them set up. The boy with the lyre was either too nervous, or he'd just picked the thing up. He tried strumming a simple tune, and couldn't even keep up with the beat. The guards winced as he tried to play. It was then Eric saw his way in.

"Damn, boy you play for shit!" Eric announced and got off his horse. He led his horse over to a rail and hitched him, then went over to the startle boy and took the Lyre away from him. "Sit your ass down and watch," Eric said firmly.

"And who are you?" one of the guards asked.

"Name's Eric," Eric said as he began plucking at the strings. "Lost my lyre when my horse stumbled a few days back, Damn this thing is out of tune," he grumbled, and adjusted it.

"You think you can play that, huh?" the other guard asked, sizing Eric up. "I'd take you for more of a brigand than some minstrel. Looks like you'd be more suited to fight people than entertain them."

Eric glanced up at him. "I hate hecklers," he stated. Both guards laughed.

Seeing the flutist and a guy with a horn, Eric said, "I'll set the rhythm. Try to keep up."

Sitting down, Eric worked his fingers to exercise them, then started with a strum. As he fell back into his playing style, he made it more complicated with timed plucks and string slides to make the notes waver. The boy stared at his fingers, all but a blur on the strings as the guards looked on and the others fell in time. He played for a while until his fingers got sore, then wound down, ending with a waving high note.

"Now THAT was good!" one of the guards exclaimed.

"How did you do that?" the boy asked.

Eric bowed to the guards, then held out his hand. "Glad you liked it. Some appreciation in coin would be acceptable."

The guards chuckled. "You want us to pay you?"one asked.

"I don't buy that story you just lose your lyre," the other guard said evenly.

Eric looked him in the eye and said, "You're right. Made that up. Truth is, I played for these guys and they refused any appreciation of my skills for their behalf. One decided to get violent instead. I busted my lyre on his face, then shoved his sword up his ass. Couldn't catch the other fellas."

The guards faces dropped. Eric stood motionless, staring at them. After a moment, one guard smiled. "You got guts, fella, and you did play damn good." He reached into his belt purse and took out two coppers. "Tell ya what, take these now, and if you come by Rip-Joe's place, I'll see ya get to play for the night. Deal?"

Eric took the coppers and gave him a nod. "We'd be happy to."

"We?" the man with the flute asked.

Eric turned to glare at him. "Yeah, got a problem with taking a gig with me?" he asked.

"No, it's just ... OK, count us in, but we'll need to practice."

"Then we best get moving," Eric told him. He tossed the lyre back to the boy and retrieved his horse.


	9. Chapter 9

CH 9

Tanthalas noticed a new addition at the dinner table. Eldarin arrived doting over a pretty, slim elf with light brown hair. As they approached the table everyone stood for introductions. The Lady was Mrs. Abigail Jackson, quite an unusual name for an elf. Tanthalas noted Eldarin pause just before he was introduced.

"M'Lady, this fine man is Lord Tanthalas I've been telling you so much about," Eldarin said, almost reverently.

Mrs. Jackson's face opened up in a bright smile. "Ahh, so you are Lord Tanthalas. I am very please to meet you, Sir." To Eldarin, she said in a low voice, "I can see the resemblance!" She then cast a beaming smile at Tanthalas and asked, "Where is your beautiful and talented wife?"

"She had other affairs to tend to," Tanthalas said, wondering about her comments. "I take it Mr. Jackson is around someplace?"

Waving a dismissive hand at him, she said in a grumble, "He had wandered off to who-knows-where. I just hope he does not drift off into another staring fit. When he does that, he forgets who he is and where he's at." Eldarin held the chair as Abby sat down. Once she was seated, everyone else took their seats.

"That sounds serious. Is anyone looking for him?" Tanthalas asked.

"We have been, M'Lord," Sir Reginald stated. "I fear he has left the castle."

Sir Mondar raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Jackson, who brought in all that steel to trade is missing?" he asked.

"He said he had to talk to someone in town, and no one has seen him since," Sir Reginald said. "I overhead him say something about Gateway. With his sudden disappearance, I am tempted to wonder if he was sent to get a look inside our castle."

"And leave behind a wagon loaded down with steel and gold, as well as his wife?" Sir Mondar asked. "I would sooner think he has met with foul play, Sir Reginald."

"Mr. Jackson cares nothing for what we stand for, it is his belief that we should abandon the Gods!" Sir Reginald stated.

"True, Mr. Jackson made it clear on his last visit that he believes only in his profits. However, all of his profits are here in our stables, he would not leave his gold, and I certainly don't believe he would abandon his own beautiful wife," Sir Mondar countered.

"If what Mrs. Jackson says is true, he could be in trouble," Tanthalas pointed out.

"It either case, it is in our best interests to find him," Sir Reginald said.

Abby suddenly let out a huff and planted a hand over her face. "He DID!" she spat.

"Excuse me?" Sir Mondar asked.

Abby shook her head, frowning in anger. "He lied to me! That's where he went, all right!" To Sir Mondar, she said, "He told me he wouldn't go without me, but he DID! He went to Gateway to see if it was safe to take me through to the elven lands beyond! THAT ... Arghhh!" she ended in a growl.

Tanthalas asked, "He wanted to take you to Qualinesti?"

Lost in her rant, Abby spat out, "That stubborn ... thick headed ... when Eric gets back, I'm going hit him over the head with something hard!"

"Peter," Eldarin whispered to her.

"Fine .. whatever his name is!" Abby ranted.

"Whatever his name is?" Tanthalas asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't know your husband's name?"

Abby turned her wrath on him. Glaring at him with nearly wild eyes, she said, "It's hard to remember who we're suppose to be this week! It's enough to drive someone crazy! Don't even tell me YOU pull that same stunt!"

"I never deny who I am," Tanthalas said defensively, wondering why she was singling him out for abuse.

"And don't you ever start!" Abby said, jabbing a finger at him. She then snapped up her fork and muttered at her food as she stabbed it.

Tanthalas wanted to say it wasn't his fault that her husband lied to people. Seeing she had quieted down, he figured it was better to leave it alone. He did note that Eldarin had become nervous during her rage. Right, the man had been close to her all day. Apparently, he had been taking abuse meant for her husband.

Part way through dinner, Abby calmed down. "Lord Tanthalas, I am sorry for yelling at you. What he did is not your fault. I'm just worried about him."

"Understandable, M'Lady. If I may ask, why does he give different names to everyone you meet?"

Abby shrugged and explained, "I think it's because of the amount of steel he as to sell. His customers are not all friendly with each other, and that man who was holding me tried to rob him. He had to kill that man and two of his guards, then we got chased out of town. The constable's men chased us, but he didn't kill them, he killed one of their horses, and the other stopped chasing us."

"It was self defense," Tanthalas concluded.

Abby nodded. She paused and said, "He'd rather talk and deal than fight, but with two guards pointing their crossbows right at him, then didn't leave him much choice in the matter. He's generous too. If someone is a little short on gold, he'll make the trade anyway."

"That is something I don't understand," Tanthalas admitted. "He trades steel for gold, even weight? Doesn't he know steel is worth three to five times it's weight in gold, depending upon where you're at?"

"That has confused me also," Sir Mondar said. "At first I suspected him of stealing it, but he brings so much, and does it repeatedly, I can't see how anyone could manage such a feat."

"He needs the gold more than he needs the steel," Abby told them.

"How much steel does Mr. Jackson have?" Sir Mondar asked.

"He had five hundred pounds. This sale we made to you is the last of it."

"Five hundred pounds!" Sir Reginald exclaimed. "He'd have to have his own mine and smelters to come up with that much!"

"That would explain some of why he needs gold, to pay his workers," Sir Mondar mussed. "If I had an iron mine, I wouldn't want to pay the workers in steel, but something different from what they are producing. Still, why doesn't he charge more? If he doubled his price, I'd still buy from him. The metal he sells us is top quality."

"Maybe he likes you," Tanthalas offered with a grin.

"This man is trading fortunes off a buckboard wagon," Sir Reginald said, casting a glance at Abby. "He is obviously very wealthy, but doesn't even have any guards with him and sells... fortunes for far below their value. Doesn't anyone wonder why?"

"He doesn't need guards," Abby stated.

"Mrs. Jackson, or whatever your real name is, what would you have done that day we found you in the road, if we would have been brigands?"

"You'd be dead," she stated.

Rolling his eyes Sir Reginald let out a snort and said, "I highly doubt that. Mr. Jackson had no sword, or any weapons!"

Abby frowned at him. "He does have weapons, just not what you are used to seeing. I watched him kill three men , bang bang bang, and they had their weapons loaded and pointed at him. He is much more than he seems!" she stated.

"Wizardry?" Tanthalas asked.

"He claims not, but I don't think a wizard would even stand a chance against him," Abby stated firmly.

"So just who is this mystery man?" Sir Reginald asked as she gazed evenly at Abby.

Abby glared at him for a moment, then stated, "I promised I would not say."

"He must have something terrible to hide if me made you swear not to tell anyone what your names are," Sir Reginald prodded.

Abby straightened herself and looked away from him. "We have our reasons," she stated.

Sir Reginald kept on. "And no backbone apparently, even the worst of black knights will proudly tell you who they are."

Seeing Abby's eyes quivering in their sockets from anger, Tanthalas offered, "Maybe they are doing it to protect someone."

"That would be my guess as well," Eldarin stated.

Sir Reginald turned his scrutiny to the old elf. "Ah, yes. You know who they are, you recognized them the instant you laid eyes on them. Quite surprised to see them, unless I am mistaken. Mr. Jackson was quick to tell you his name, a little too quick. You went right along with him, and I can see clearly you hold some special affection for Mrs. Whoever-they-are."

"Sir!" Eldarin snapped, "You do not know the harm that could be done to good, decent people if you insist on digging up secrets that should be left alone!"

"So you DO know!" Sir Reginald said triumphantly. "And what IS this deep, dark secret you will not even share with us, your closest friends and supporters?"

"The truth will be told, but not right now!" Abby snapped as she glared at Sir Reginald. "And if you do not stop this badgering, I will call you to duel myself!"

The table went silent as everyone stared at Abby.

Sir Mondar cleared his throat rather loudly to get their attention. "Sir Reginald. While you have a valid point, I must insist you stop questioning her Ladyship," he said in a heavy tone. "And Lady Jackson, when your husband returns, I will require answers. He may speak to me privately, but I will know what this is all about."

Abby gave a stiff nod. "Very well, Sir. May myself and Mr. Eldarin speak with you later?"

"It can wait until Mr. Jackson returns," Sir Mondar assured her.

"Mr. Jackson could be off in the woods, staring at a log, Sir Mondar, and may be for days," Abby said evenly. "May we speak after dinner?"

"Yes, of course," Sir Mondar agreed.

Once dinner was over, Sir Reginald begged to be part of the conversation. Sir Mondar wouldn't have it. He chased his servants out of his private rooms, then locked the three of them inside. Tanthalas waited in a sitting room nearby, as did Sir Reginald. While Tanthalas was curious, Sir Reginald was insistent that they were going to try and assassinate Sir Mondar. They waited for what they thought would be a short confession. Sir Reginald tipped the hourglass over twice, then went to find a servant to go in and ask if everything was all right. Sir Mondar refused to let the servant in, and reinforced that they were not to be bothered.

When Sir Mondar opened the door to his rooms, Tanthalas and Sir Reginald were on their feet. Eldarin and Mrs. Jackson excused themselves and left for their own quarters, Mrs. Jackson watched the floor as she left. Sir Mondar stood watching them go, then turned his ashen face to stare at Tanthalas.

"Sir Mondar, are we safe with them here?" Sir Reginald asked.

Sir Mondar turned his stare to him. Slowly, he said,"Sir Reginald, if you knew what I just learned, you'd realize how utterly ridiculous that question is."

"Then our plans to attack Gateway are not compromised?" the knight asked.

Sir Mondar let out a chuckle. "There may be no need. We wait for Mr. Jackson to return. If you do not mind, I wish to turn in. Goodnight, gentlemen," he said, and went back inside his rooms.

.

On the way into Gateway, Eric rode beside the wagon of his new minstrel-mates. When they were clear of the guard post, the driver, a chunky man, eyed Eric. "Said your name's Eric? I'm Chet, leader of this band. I take it you know how to play a lyre, unlike Bo here," Chet said, jerking a thumb back at the thin light haired kid who was looking at his Lyre like he'd never seen it before.

"Been playing a long time," Eric told him.

"You're welcome to play with us, but don't go thinkin you're the main attraction," Chet stated. "And I make the deals, I been doing this a while too."

The lanky man behind Chet asked, "Eric, how did you do that, magic? I've never heard a lyre played like that before."

Eric eyed him and asked, "Where you fellas from?"

"Palanthas, you?" Chet said.

"Here and there. Ever been to Gateway before?"

"Two years ago, had another lyrist then. He got himself killed. We picked up Bo here a few months ago. Figured we'd travel and get him practiced before we tried to play back in Palanthas again. Gateway's crowds are happy so long as you keep it lewd and flowing," Chet explained. "You ever play Gateway before?"

"Long time ago," Eric mussed. "Ever get to the inner city?"

Chet let out a snort. "You ain't getting in there lest you're one of the elite. That's only for the rich and powerful, friend. The wrong people will kill you for just asking about what goes on in the inner city."

"That's so, huh?" Eric mussed.

"Yeah, that's so. Look, if you're gonna make trouble, we'd best part company now," Chet said firmly. "We like to live, and these knights here have a tendency to cut that short for ya if you make trouble."

"Thanks for the warning," Eric said dryly.

They passed through the outer city gates with no trouble. Eric noted the gate had a full gatehouse above, including holes in the ceiling for pouring hot oil down onto the roadway, and an inner porticus. Once they passed though the gates, Eric rode straight on to look for the inner walls. Passing a few streets, he noticed the mistral wagon was still behind him. Eric stopped.

"Where are you going?" Chet asked. "Most of the Inn's are back toward the gates."

Eric eyed him. "I'm going to make trouble," he said.

"What?" Chet asked breathlessly.

"Trouble. I'm going to find my house, and when I do, I'm sure that is going to make me rather unpopular with these black knights. You fellas should probably go pretend you've never set eyes on me." Eric told him.

Chet nodded and snapped the reins, pulling away to disappear down a side street.

Eric rode along, trying to picture the landscape without the streets and baked-brick houses around him. The rises and drops of the land were hard to make out. He knew he was going along a hillside, but he wasn't sure where he was at. Where he though a ravine should have been, there was no sign of it. Looking up, he noted he was closer to the inner walls. The tops had been built up. The north side hadn't been as tall, due to the fact they were already atop the slope of the hill. Here and there, he could see the base of the wall down an alley.

Coming to a sharp turn of the street he was on, he noticed a rock wall directly ahead. To his lrft was an inside corner. He thought hard, he knew this corner. There had been only one inside corner like that. The southern edge of the elven property. From this place, his house had been inside of the wall, a hundred yards to the west. Looking up, he saw the inner wall above, circling around to continue on. Yes, this had to be that corner.

Eric turned and rode down the long alley running down beside the inner wall. Picking his way down the vacant alley, he studied the wall as he counted the distance. When he found the point where his house should be on the other side, he rode down the closest alley back to the street. Going downhill through another alley, he came to a second street. Long ago, he'd made an exit tunnel from his house out to a steep bank. Noting stairs going down from the second street to one beyond, he found the bank now had a dwelling built into in.

The stone block dwelling was simple, just stones stacked neatly. Riding down to the entrance, Eric tethered his horse on a post outside the wooden door. Eric knocked at the door. Hearing no answer, he knocked again, louder. No answer, so he tried the door. It swung open. The interior was dark. He could make out the dirt floor and the room, but nothing any deeper.

"Who are you? What do you want?" a meek voice asked from within.

Eric tried, but couldn't see who was speaking, and the whispery voice could be male or female. "Name's Eric, can I come in and talk to you?"

"I have no money or valuables."

"I don't want any. Just want to talk."

"Come in and shut the door."

Eric entered and shut the door behind him. It got very dark. Eric listened, but heard nothing move. "I'm at a disadvantage, I don't know who you are, and I can't see anything."

"Does that scare you?" the voice asked.

"Not really, but it does put me at a disadvantage," Eric replied. "I'd like to look for something in the back of your home, if you don't mind."

"What would you expect to find of value in a poor woman's house?"

"The entrance to my house, on the other side of the city wall," Eric stated.

Eric heard a scraping sound, like someone picking up a sword. He reached into his cloak and grabbed the handle of his pistol. "I didn't come to fight," he said, "So let's talk this out. No need for bloodshed."

"Answer me one question. If you are correct, you may pass. If you are wrong, you die," the voice stated.

"Ask," Eric said flatly.

"The Founder's one true love. Who was it?"

"Elanza was my only love," Eric said and cocked his pistol.

There way silence, then a candle was lit. As the feeble light grew, Eric saw an older woman standing behind a cocked ballista bearing six bolts. Her aged face was staring at him. "You truly are Eric Carvon?" she asked.

"That's me," Eric said and slowly released the hammer on his pistol. "You've been guarding this place?"

"Me, and my sisters before me, and our sisters before us," she said, then let out a sob. "I has lost hope you would ever come. These knights, they are terrible! I have remained hidden and survived, even though they have hunted us down mercilessly!"

Eric walked over to her. "They're that cruel?" he asked.

"Unless you spout out the garbage they call religion, you can own nothing. You're put on forced work crews, sent to brothels, or if you dare go against their will, tortured, jailed or murdered!" she said with her eyes gleaming with hate.

Eric nodded slowly. "It will take some work, but we're going to drive them out, I swear to you. Right now, I need to get into my house. Are there many that remember me?"

"Not many that truly believe, but many who want to!" the woman insisted. "My nephew brings me food every day after work. When he sees you, he can tell everyone!" she said excitedly.

Eric waved down her enthusiasm. "Let me look around first and get a feel of things. If we are not careful, the black knights will find out about us too soon. For now, just keep doing what you're doing."

The woman came out from behind her Ballista and hugged him."Thank you for coming to save us, Founder," the woman said as she squeezed him tight.

"Thank me after we get our city back," he said, returning her hug. "Right now, we have to stay sharp. When your nephew comes, you can tell him I'm here, but only tell those who are willing to help. Got it?"

"Yes, Founder," she said, pulling back with a smile.

"And the name's Eric," he said. "Wouldn't have a candle I can borrow, do you?"

"Yes, Founder ... I mean Eric," she said and got him a candle in a holder with a glass shroud. She lit the candle, then pointed to a curtain. "The tunnel is beyond that curtain. We have a few weapons stored there, but no one has been deeper than that in many years. The last we knew, the tunnel was intact."

"Thank you, for your help, and your loyalty," Eric said, and went on his way.

The tunnel to Eric's house was smaller than he remembered it. Then again, he hadn't seen it in nearly two hundred years. The weapons the woman spoke of were nothing great, a few old swords, makeshift spears and a few shields made from wood that had little chance of stopping anything. Past these, there was nothing but some rodents that scurried away from him.

Eric figured he was on the other side of the wall when he heard a noise of something bigger moving around. He drew a pistol and walked slowly ahead. The noise stopped. A little farther and he came to the door of his root cellar. Putting an ear to the door, he listened closely.

A soft female voice said, "Come in, I'll make it worth your while."

Shit, he was caught already. "Anyone in there with you?" he asked.

"No one has visited me in a very long time, please come in," she cooed.

The door was stiff. Eric braced a foot against it and pushed, holding his gun on the door to fight whatever lay beyond. Pushing the door open caused some dirt to rain down. He got it open far enough to see there were no longer any shelves on the left hand wall. With the candle and gun in front of him, he squeezed in.

A shapely, long haired and boxom brunette sat naked on a pile of old boards, eyeing him with a wide grin. Laying down, she arched up, and rubbed her flat belly. "Care for some of me? It's very lonely down here," she said in a soft, musical voice.

It took all of his will to tear his eyes off her. If Eric hadn't been so sure he was about to be attacked, he wouldn't have been able to resist the sight of her. Looking at the door up into the house, he saw it was tightly shut.

"No one will bother us," the woman cooed.

Her voice didn't have quite the impact on him when he wasn't looking at her so Eric kept his gaze on the upper door. "Who comes down to feed you?" he asked.

"No one. They've forgotten all about me," she pouted in a whine. "You know, you can do anything you want to me, and no one will ever know."

"Who lives up there now?"

"No one! I haven't heard anyone up there in a long time. Forget them, come on over here, I'll make you feel really good," she said in a sultry voice.

"Yeah, and who's going to put the knife in my back?" Eric asked.

"There is no one here but us!" she insisted.

Eric waved his gun at the door he'd just come in. "Head out that way, tell the woman at the other end I said to give you some clothes." He approached the door. The steps felt solid. He went up far enough to give the door a push. It resisted, then cracked open with a squeak.

"No, please, stay down here with me for just a little while!" the woman begged.

Eric noted she hadn't moved from her board-bed. "If you're so lonely, why not get up and walk away?" he asked.

"Ohh, just come run your hands over me, please?" she asked.

Thinking aloud, Eric said, "That door I came in hasn't been opened in a very long time. Neither has this door. You can't leave here, can you?"

"That's why I want you to stay. Please? I'll do anything you want. Anything at all," she said in a lusty, throaty tone.

"And I doubt you've eaten anything, or had any water. So tell me, why are you not a corpse?" Eric asked.

"Am I not the sexiest thing you've ever seen?" she asked in a hurt tone. "All I need is a little intimate attention."

"You didn't answer my question," Eric stated.

"And you're not even looking at me!" she complained. "You are not one of those guys who like boys, are you?"

Eric gritted his teeth. "I really should shoot you for that," he growled.

"You can shoot some of your white stuff in me whenever you want. However you want," she said in a musical tone.

"I get it. So, what are you?"

"A woman needing a man, what do you think I am?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't have time for time for this," he grumbled. He climbed up a little higher and pushed the door up to search for any movement on the floor above. He saw natural light and debris on the floor. A heavy coating of dust was everywhere. No one had been here in a long time.

"Ohhh, please don't leave!" the she-thing begged.

"I don't need a sex-monster," Eric stated, and pushed the door open farther to see the room was vacant except for pieces of furniture. The door to the room was shut.

"What do you need? Please tell me. I'll be anything you want," she begged.

Eric squatted back down and looked in her direction, but not at her. "Can you be honest with me?" he asked.

"I will not lie to you," she said.

"What are you?"

"What do you think I am?" she asked in return.

"No bullshit lady. I ask, you answer, or I have no use for you," Eric said in a hard tone.

"I'll be whatever you want me to be!" she said in an irritated voice. " You want me to be a thief? I'll steal for you. A warrior? I'll kill whoever you tell me to..."

"No!" Eric snapped. "I asked what you are. Tell me or say good bye."

"You already know, don't you?" She asked in a snap.

"Bye Lady, good luck with anyone else coming through here," Eric said. He stood up and went back the way he came.

"All right! I'm a demon, as if you didn't know! I am not lying, I will do whatever you want to get out of this hole!"

Eric nodded, they were getting somewhere. "And why can't you leave?"

The woman frowned deeply at him. "I was summoned, I can't do anything unless commanded and the one commanding me has my talisman."

"And where is this talisman?"

Eric saw her pointing to the middle of the floor. Following her finger, he saw a lump that looked like something was buried in the dirt. "Whoever had you, wanted to make sure you stayed here, huh?" he asked.

Sitting up, she said in a haughty voice, "If he didn't want me to eat his brother, he should have said so."

"So that's how it is huh?" Eric asked. "You eat people, but you need someone to hang onto in order to do it."

"He had me guarding his gold!" she said in a snap. "He told me to kill anyone besides him that came into his treasure room, and I did! He said nothing about letting his brother come in and take whatever he wanted."

"But you survive on death," Eric said.

"No. I can survive anyway, but I get power from eating souls and having sex. Just give me a good tumble, and see what I can do!" she stated.

Eric laughed. Bang'er good and watch her go. "You don't have to kill then?"

"Only if you want me to do something requiring power."

"What's your name?"

She pointed to the floor.

Eric went over to the hump and started digging. Not far under the surface was a round stone with markings on it. The instant he picked it up, the woman gasped. She then let out a laugh and ran over to kneel by him.

"I am yours now, what would you like, sex maybe?" she asked with a giggle as she wiggled her generous breasts in front of him.

"Maybe later," he mussed. "Right now, you stay with me, and do only what I tell you."

"Sure, that's easy. Wanna play with me?" she asked, raising her arms over her head to dangle her globes in his face.

Eric got up and studied the disk. He cleaned it off a bit, and studied it. Turning it one way, then the other, he frowned and asked, "Your name is ... Tikeze?" Suddenly, although she was still very good looking, she wasn't so bindingly gorgeous that he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"You ... you can read that?" she asked in shock.

Eric nodded. "I studied languages, this one is a couple thousand years old, but I can make it out. Shall we go, Tikeze?"

Tikeze's face fell. "You have total power over me... how can this happen?"

"Brighten up, you're getting out of this hole, right?" Eric asked with a grin.

Tikeze frowned at him and asked, "How can I seduce you if you have total control over me?"

"Maybe I'll just get horny and want to bang you. Ever think of that?"

"I'm all yours," she said, not sounding happy about it.

"Let's go see what we got upstairs, and see if we can find you some clothes," Eric said.

"Will this do?" she asked, and was instantly covered by a colorful peasant blouse and skirt. The blouse had a low neckline showing off her ample assets.

"You look good like that," he told her and went up the stairs, motioning for her to follow.

Unlike the ex-storeroom he came up into, Eric got that door open to find the rest of the house was filled with stacked furniture. The roof looked like it had been repaired, but instead of someone living here, his house was being use for storage. Looking around, he asked, "I suppose you can't do anything like tell me what's outside, or go take a peek and not be seen, can you?"

Tikeze crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. "Not without some help. I told you what I need to be able to do anything."

"But, can you?" Eric asked.

Casting him a sly look, she said, "I can do anything you want, when I have the power."

Eric grabbed her hand and nodded towards the empty room they'd just came from. "In here, we'll have more room. And I want to take those clothes off you."

Tikeze's face lit up. "Yes, Master!" she chimed, beaming a smile at him.


	10. Chapter 10

CH 10.

Eric found Tikeze had a voracious appetite for sex. Her ferocity was infectious, he'd meant to just get a 'sampling' of her, but they ended up in many positions all over the room. It didn't seem to matter what he did to her, so long as he kept doing it. Up against the wall, on all fours, on bottom, on top, however he had her she only wanted more.

He was completely spent and exhausted. The extended romp had the opposite effect on Tikeze. Eric lay panting, Tikieze climbed back on top to straddle him, grabbing his hands to plant them back on her breasts. Her eyes were wide, and seemed glow with a fire in them.

"Ohhh, one more time?" she begged with a sweet, cooing tone.

Eric chuckled at her. He had nothing left to go one more time. "You really are a sex monster, aren't you?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," She whispered hoarsly. Bending low to lick the end of his nose, she said, "You are not bad at all. I'll do whatever you wish."

"What I wish," Eric mussed. "I really wish you could get a good look at the inner city here, and show it to me without being seen."

Her eyes flashed and her grin widened. "As you wish, Master. I will need to kiss you, deeply."

They locked lips. As Eric kissed her he felt ... something get pulled out of him, then she breathed back into him. As they parted lips, she said in her sultry tone, "Rest, and close your eyes."

Eric did, then found he was looking down on himself. A thought came into his head. 'You are inside me, and I am in you. As long as you remain still. we are connected.'

Eric got up off himself. Looking down, he saw those large breasts on his chest. Hands lifted them up and wiggled them as Tikeze let out a giggle.

"You can play with these later, you want to see the city, right?" she asked. Then, he saw nothing but empty room. She'd vanished.

Eric's vision passed through the door into the cluttered room, through what used to be the front door, and into a large marble foyer. This cavernous room looked to be a meeting hall. Looking up, Eric noted the high domed ceiling above. The room had two arched entries. Eric no more that thought about going through one, and he was doing it, passing into a hallway where a pair of maids were scrubbing their way down the floor.

Coming out into a courtyard, Eric wanted to get a higher view, and was lifted up to rooftop level.

'Now this is the way to get a look around', Eric thought.

'I can do anything you want, as long as you are doing me,' Tikeze thought back.

Studying the layout of the buildings, Eric thought 'So, what is the price for this viewing? Nothing is free.'

Tikeze laughed a hearty laugh. 'I am quite surprised this worked. Usually, the one I draw from is either crippled or dead by now. You have a wonderfully large well of energy, I have drank from you deeply, and you appear to have an endless supply!' Tikeze thought happily.

'You draw on my energy to do this?'

'Any you taste sooo good! It was like we were made for each other! I feel we can do anything! Shall we make this city ours?' she asked eagerly.

'The city is already mine. These black knights stole it, I intend to take it back from them.' Eric thought heavily.

'Then let me be your hand of wrath.'

'So be it, let's go see who we have to kill.'

.

The Inner city of Gateway now reminded Eric too much of a knight's castle. Instead of homes, shops and placed to trade goods, it was a place of barracks, servant quarters, weapons smiths, and mansions for the ruling class. Open areas were parade or practice grounds.

In his drifting through the air, Eric came upon the scene of a trial. A man was on a platform, arms and legs bound as a knight in polished armor read off the charges of subverting their holy cause. Another Knight wearing a cape pronounced sentence, then the man was forced to kneel with his head on a block. A black hooded man chopped his head off.

'What a waste,' Tikeze thought in a sigh. 'Shall I kill them?'

'Not yet, I want them to see it coming,' Eric thought.

'Take me again!' Tikeze thought, very pleased with the sadistic idea Eric had in mind of making these men see what their demise was going to be.

'We need to return and plan' Eric thought, more focused on how to get rid of these knights. They did have an iron grip on the populace, but that also meant people would be more desperate to get rid of them.

Going back to his house, Eric noted that his place was nothing but a storage spot for furniture used during different events in the grand foyer. That meant it would also be a perfect staging area. The servants who stored the furniture only went as far as they had to. The kitchen area and his old bed room were empty, and his old storage closet only held some forgotten refuse.

Eric returned to his own body and immediately had Tikeze help him take down the wall between the old closet and the store room. Two walls later, Eric had made a path around the main room and into his bedroom and around into the kitchen. When they were finished, he had roughly half the house available and no one would readily notice. The doors to the main room he shut and blocked, just in case some servants got the idea to start using them.

Eric knew he had to be careful how he used Tikeze. By her own admission, she wanted to kill, and gained energy from taking life. To think of how to keep her busy and out of trouble, he first decided another good romp was in order. Not only to give her the energy she would need, but she was also very good at it, not to mention extremely desirable.

One thing Eric would need was followers. Tikeze admitted she could get into people's dreams, as well as read their thoughts. Eric gave her the task of reading people's thoughts, and finding out who wanted the Black Knights gone. For the people who did, she was to give them dreams of his imminent return, and give them a vision of the old woman's dwelling. Eric left Tikeze to her task, promising to return for her. He made sure she saw he had the stone disk, and went back down the tunnel.

The old woman's dwelling was lit when Eric returned. Her nephew was there at the small table. Seeing Eric come in, the old woman beamed him a smile. "Eric! this is my nephew Gregor. We were just sitting down to dinner, would you care to join us?"

"Thank you," Eric said sincerely, and took a seat.

Gregor was a fully bearded man with a thin but hard looking frame forged by years of poverty. He eyed Eric with a pair of mistrusting dark brown eyes. "So, you're this Founder?" he asked.

"Eric Carvon," Eric agreed. "I saw those weapons you've been gathering. Not the best, and that tunnel is a bad place to put them."

Gregor left out a snort. "You have a better place?" he asked in a challenge.

Eric nodded and said, "Up in my house. That's where I just came from. I figure there's plenty of room up there to store weapons, and I found a nice assembly area to gather troops. The only thing we need now, is good weapons and a place for training as many men as possible in a short of time as possible."

"And you will do this, and not turn us in to those butchers for a reward?" Gregor asked.

Eric eyed him. "Gregor, after I finish this stew your Aunt so kindly shared, I'm going to start moving those weapons in the tunnel up into the house and inspect them to see what's usable. You can help, or you can sit here and speculate if you can trust me. Me, I got work to do."

Gregor did decide to help. Eric and Gregor carried arm loads of weapons up into the old store room. Inspecting spears first, Eric found only half of them good enough for use as they were, and another few that had sturdy shafts. Moving on to the swords, only six were serviceable, and of those, Eric felt he could actually trust two of those in combat. The shields and swords he deemed ineffective, Eric put over in the kitchen area.

"Come back to see me?" Tikeze cooed from behind as her arms went around him.

For some reason, Eric wasn't surprised at her sudden appearance. He turned and swept her luscious body with his eyes. "I thought you were out reading people's minds?" he asked.

"I was, and there are many who ache to be rid of those black knights. I've given some of the young, eager men the vision you told me to. I suspect there will be crowds beating on your door," Tikeze said as she put her arms around him. "Maybe you came back to play with me some?" she asked with a crooked grin.

"Maybe," he said, and hefted her large breasts, feeling the weight of them in his hands. He then kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her. Tikeze moaned with delight. Eric kissed her until he began to feel light headed, then slid his hands back around to her chest grabbed to handfuls of breast and pushed her back.

"But first, there's work to do," he told her firmly.

Gasping at the sudden break in their kiss, Tikeze stared at him and said in a playful grown,"You TEASE!"

Eric grinned at her. "While you are looking for recruits, look for the knight's armories also. We'll need good weapons."

Casting him a hungry look, she said, "I WILL be visiting your dreams tonight."

"You better be visiting my bed. Until then, we got things to do."

"Yes, Master," Tikeze said, and vanished.

.

Tanthalas spend the next few days gathering reports and making sure the road for the coming army was secure from prying eyes. Sir Mondar kept up his monitoring of the Black Knights and preparations, and stepped up the search for Mr. Jackson. They combed the countryside, but the man was nowhere to be found.

Four days after the infamous dinner, a rider came into the castle to speak with Sir Mondar. The man was a spy who insisted on talking to Sir Mondar alone. Tanthalas happened to note that after the man spoke with Sir Mondar, Mrs. Jackson was called to go in and see him. A little later, Mrs. Jackson left, looking irritated.

Tanthalas was then asked to see Sir Mondar. A servant escorted him into the knights' office, then shut the door behind them.

Looking out the window, Sir Mondar asked, "Lord Tanthalas. Have you ever heard of someone returning from the land of the dead?"

Taken aback by the question, Tanthalas said, "I know it is possible, I was stuck briefly there myself once."

Sir Mondar let out a short chuckle. "I am not surprised. Tell me, if someone died, then were somehow brought back to live again, would they be the same person?"

"I can't really answer that," Tanthalas said cautiously. " They may look different, but I suppose if they are the same person inside, then I don't see why not."

Sir Mondar nodded. "That would make sense to me also," he mussed. "The man that was in here was one of our spies in Gateway. Mr. Jackson has been seen there. Our man found him due to a vision he had." Turning to look at Tanthalas, he said, "He had a vision of the Founder returning. He went to the place he saw in this vision, and one of the people there, the one leading the others who had arrived, was the man we know as Mr. Jackson."

"So, Mr. Jackson knows the Founder of Gateway," Tanthalas concluded.

"You might say that. The people there didn't call him Mr. Jackson. They called him Eric Carvon."

Tanthalas felt the skin on his arms pimple up. Eldarin had told him who that was. "He is in Gateway right at this moment?"

Sir Mondar nodded. "And he is organizing a revolt against the Black Knights. Are you aware of who Eric Carvon is to you?"

"He's my father," Tanthalas said. "Sir Eldarin told me about him."

"Yes, I also received that information ... and more. Do you know your father by sight?"

"I've met him in the past. I am sure I can recognize him. I can leave today to verify what your man said is true," Tanthalas said, and turned to leave.

"Lord Tanthalas, wait! There is an easier way to verify this information, and frankly, despite some people's claims, you have the right to know," Sir Mondar said.

"Sir Eldarin knows him by sight. If this Mr. Jackson is my father back from the dead, he can verify it," Tanthalas agreed.

"He can," Sir Mondar agreed. "But it is not your father who's come back from the dead, Lord Tanthalas. I believe you need to have a serious talk with Mrs. Jackson."

Tanthalas' mind whirled. Some of the comments Mrs. Jackson had said to him that were so strange at the time, were now making sense. She had spoke of 'the resemblance', but gave no identifying person. How irritated she had gotten at him for Mr. Jacksons; disappearance. Just like a mother talking to her son when she was mad at his father. Could it be? "I do believe I shall, Sir Mondar."

.

Racing through the castle, Tanthalas found Mrs. Jackson talking to the one of the gardeners as the woman was weeding some flowers. As always, Mrs. Jackson greeted him with a smile and a, "Lord Tanthalas, how are you today?"

"Fine, Lady Jackson," Tanthalas replied pleasantly as he studied her face. Her hair in the sunshine was auburn, similar to his. She also had the rare hazel eyes very uncommon in elves. "I think I might have seen Mr. Jackson," he offered.

"You have? Where?" she asked excitedly.

'I'm not sure," Tanthalas said with a shrug. "Dark hair, a face structure similar to mine, his nose looks like it has been broken?" he asked.

"Yes! Where did you see him? Has he returned?" she asked, beside herself in anticipation.

"There was one other thing I noticed," Tanthalas said. Drawing a line on his right thigh, he said, "He has a scar, right about here. Looks like maybe it was from a sword?"

'That is him!" she said firmly. "Please tell me, where is he?"

Tanthalas nodded. "Right now, he's still in Gateway. I haven't seen your husband in the last hundred years, but I know who he is," he stated.

Mrs. Jackson's face screwed up in anger. "If you haven't seen him, why are you playing this game with me!" she asked harshly.

Looking into her eyes, Tanthalas said, "I just described my father. His name is Eric Carvon. Please, I need you to tell me who you really are."

Mrs. Jackson's face fell. She broke contact with his eyes to look at the ground. Softly she said, "I am no one special, Lord Tanthalas. I'm just someone he saved."

"Are you my mother?" Tanthalas asked.

Mrs. Jackson swallowed nervously and said, "My name is Abby. That's the name Eric gave me. I am very confused much of the time, but I do know the woman who bore you died a long time ago."

"Will Eldarin tell me the same thing?" Tanthalas asked in a gentle tone.

Abby let out a snort. "He's afraid Eric will kill him if he says anything," she grumbled. Lifting her eyes back up to him, she said in a pleading tone, "I would love to say yes, I am your mother and I am very, very proud of you. The fact is I don't know who I am, except for what people tell me. All I know for certain is that the moment I saw Eric, I knew in my heart he was the only one who loved me and would take care of me for the rest of my life. He is a good man, Tanis. Somewhat rough at times, but a good man none the less. I can also tell you for a fact that despite what some people claim, your father never did anything bad to your mother."

Tanthalas was ready to cry at her near-confession. The only response he had for her was to step up and envelope her in a hug. She broke down into tears, and he followed suit.

.

"You must be joking," Eric said as he eyed the panting man who had returned after being gone a day.

"No, Mr. Car ... I mean, Eric. I followed Darin, he headed straight for Sir Mondar's castle. I am sure he was a spy."

Eric rubbed his forehead in irritation. "Great," he grumbled. His plans had been going perfectly. His old root cellar was now his new headquarters. The tunnel had three new offshoots thanks to Tikeze, hollowed out to handle weapons practice with the wooden swords and padded spears they had, his rebel townsmen were growing in numbers daily, and his house was now serving as a staging area for spies in the inner city, as well as a storehouse for the trickling numbers of battle weapons they acquired. Tikeze was giving him valuable information on who was who in the Black Knight's pecking order, as well as the routines of them and their soldiers. The last thing he needed was Sir Mondar charging in to help and stirring the Black Knights up into a frenzy when he wanted them calm and clueless.

Letting out a huff, Eric said, "Thanks for telling me. If Darin comes back, I want to see him immediately, say nothing about why. Don't forget your mandatory work detail, we don't want to arouse any suspicion."

"Sure, Eric. Going is easier now that I know we'll be getting those bastards," he said and left.

"Tikeze!" Eric snapped.

The demon appeared before him. "Playtime?" she asked musically as she bounced on her feet to make her breasts wiggle.

"No, time to scare the living shit out of someone," Eric said heavily.

Tikeze grew a smile. "Oh good. Who do I get to kill?" she asked.

"No one. Listen carefully, I need you to do this right," he said, then explained the mission.

After Eric told Tikeze her special mission, he went to check on the other tasks available people were performing. Going down the tunnel to the back of the food storehouse in the inner city, he found they had made it up to the floor in the back, and were now able to steal food from the back of the warehouse where it wouldn't be missed for months. The tunnels to the two armories were all but complete, within a few yards each of grabbing all the ready weapons. The old woman, Sally, in her small house, was organizing other women into weaving small rings of metal into leather jackets. Although not the best protection, it was better than nothing.

.

Tikeze followed Eric's instructions. Once she got to Castle Mondar, she stayed hidden and followed the senior knight around until he had a 'private' moment going to the privy. The knight sat down to relieve himself, and she appeared before him in full demon form, sporting her large bat type wings and horns that curved back on her head. As he saw her, she grabbed him by the throat. Lifting him to pin him against the wall, she used her hypnotic power to freeze him in place and seize his voice so he couldn't cry out.

She grinned broadly at his saucer sized eyes as he gapped at her. "Feeling a little vulnerable are we?" she asked in a light tone, showing her fangs. "I came to bring a message from Eric Carvon. It is quite simple, really. Stay away from Gateway until you are called for. If we see a single soldier, or even hear about one more spy, I will be back, and not just to give you a message."

Reaching out to grab his manhood and grip the base around her thumb and finger, she smiled at him as she squeezed and pulled just hard enough to elicit a gasp from the terrified man. "I have been forbidden to play with you, this time. So sad, really. I would very much enjoy eating you," she said and licked her lips.

She then hardened her face to glare at him. "Eric will call for you when he is ready. Do not make the mistake of going against his wishes!" She then vanished and returned to Eric.

Sir Mondar fell onto the seat. Holding his hand over his heart, he sat panting in fear, praying his heart would slow down before it exploded.


	11. Chapter 11

CH 11

Tikeze discovered the Black Knights were having a large meeting in two days. Eric was up in is house, ensuring the clearing out of the upper floors were a quiet as possible as servants moved furniture in the main room. The tunnels to the armories were finished with Tikeze's help, except for breaking down the walls into the basement rooms.

Heading for the his cellar headquarters, Eric saw Darin quietly walking toward him. The man carried a scroll in his hand. He showed Eric the scroll, and pointed down. Eric waved for him to proceed.

Down in Eric's headquarters Eric motioned Darin to sit across from his desk as he took a seat on the short bench. Darin offered the scroll, Eric took it and read it.

Eric,

We will not send forces until you are ready.

Lord Tanthalas and Lady Jackson wish to speak with you at the earliest oppertunity.

Sir Mondar

Eric rubbed his chin in irritation. "How are Lord Tanthalas and Mrs. Jackson getting along?" he asked.

Darin blinked. "They are getting along well," he said, confused. "I had thought Sir Mondar sent you instructions."

"No one sends me instructions," Eric stated, casting Darin a hard eye. "And I can't risk you getting caught visiting Castle Mondar. If the Black Knights trace you there, and back here, we won't be ready. You risked all these people's lives to pass your grains of information. It will not happen again, do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

Eric nodded, "I will tell you this. Tomorrow night, we are going to prepare for our attack. Fighters in the tunnels and upstairs. After breakfast in two days, the men in the tunnels will break into the armories and take the weapons they need. You will be in the south tunnel with that group. As soon as they break through and get armed, you run back and make your way out of the city and go tell Sir Mondar to bring his men. He is to fight only those knights who resist him. I would imagine he will be occupied by the surrounding forts. By the time he reaches them, we should have the inner city secured. He is to come no closer than the outer city walls. Can you remember all that?"

"Yes, Sir," Darin said, then repeated it back to him.

"Very good. Until we attack, you stay down in the southern tunnel just to be sure the wrong people do not find out my plan. You come out only after the armory is breached, and our men are inside. I will inform our officers tomorrow after the work details, so they may inform our men. Until then, keep this to yourself. Go."

"Yes, sir I will do as you say," Darin said. He got up, bowed, and walked down the south tunnel.

When he was gone, Eric read the letter again. Frowning, he quietly grumbled, "Damn it Abby! What did you do?"

.

Eric made sure Tikeze had all the energy he could give her. He kept her naked and in bed with all the sex he could provide – along with nearly constant fondling and many deep, long energy giving kisses. After a full day and a half of sex, Tikeze was all but buzzing with energy. If she were a campfire, she'd be throwing flames a hundred feet in the air.

The afternoon the workers began filtering in after their daily chores. As always, they never came in a stream, but individually, or on groups of two or three, and from different directions only when they were sure guards weren't looking. As they came in, they were given their dinners and a packed meal for the morning, then sent to their assigned positions in the north or south tunnels, or up into Eric' house.

The word for everyone was to maintain silence.

All the lieutenants, the women who volunteered for nursing duty, water bearers, and Tikeze, he gathered in his quarters. It was a tight fit, but he wanted no one to be left in the dark.

Standing on his small table, Eric asked in a normal voice, "Can everyone hear me?"

Everyone nodded, so he continued. "We attack in the morning. The time depends upon when those Black Knights start their meeting. Tikeze here be waiting for them to assemble and get seated all nice and comfy. When they are, she will then quickly go to inform Gregor in the south tunnel, and Hanson in the north. Gregor, Hanson your men will immediately break into the armories and grab every weapon they can and arm themselves. Once you're armed, leave the armories and head for the army barracks. We've got plenty of rope, take as many prisoners as possible, but don't risk your men doing it. Speed is vital, you must capture the barracks and have a solid defense perimeter before you move on. Only after all the enemy in the barracks are dead or subdued, Gregor, head for the east Gate, Hanson, head for the west gate. Take those gates and get them closed."

"The men coming with me. Your first priority is the closest entry of that meeting hall. It's on the right as we leave the house. Get to it, block it, let no one through from inside or out. Palan, If the resistance we meet allows it, send men to block the other entry on the other side of the room, but ONLY if you are certain you can keep the first entrance blocked. Tikeze, you will be with me. Your first priority will be to destroy that second entry, then protect me. Once you make that entry unusable, get to me fast, I'll be ass-deep in pissed off Black Knights by then. Now, is there anyone who does not know what they are to do?"

Eric scanned the faces around him for any questioning or blank looks. Everyone looked focused and eager. "All right, go have dinner and tell all your men what the plan is. Everyone remember this. Tomorrow we may suffer many dead, we may only suffer a few, but at this point right here, there is nothing that can stop us or prevent our victory tomorrow." Seeing many faces eager to let out a cheer, he quickly added, "So long as we are quiet as church mice right up until the time we attack. Now get going, and may the blessing of the Gods be upon you all."

The assembly dispersed. Eric waited until there was room, then got down off his table. Tikeze moved up beside him.

Wearing a big grin, she asked, "One more shot of energy, Master?"

Eric shook his head. "I have to get some rest too. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I have another errand for you."

Giving her explicit instructions, Eric had Tikeze go to his wagon at Castle Mondar and discretely remove the seat top, under which were his double barreled shotgun, spare cylinders for his pistols, caps and cartridges. Tikeze retrieved his items. Eric made sure all the cylinders for his pistols were loaded, and loaded the shotgun with large buckshot. Buckshot would not go through plate armor, but at close range, it would still knock a man right out of his boots.

That night, Eric slept lightly in his position, as he was sure every other man did. That was if they could sleep at all. He was up and waiting inside the house, right at the main door with a hundred men behind him armed with whatever weapons they could find from real spears and swords, to hunting bows, straightened farm tools, and slings. Although tension was in the air, not a man made even a whisper.

In th morning Eric could hear voices beyond the door. A few came uncomfortably close as they chatted away. There was conversation, and a few laughs. He could hear the room filling up as the din slowly grew. He was counting on fifty men out there, but is sounded more like easily a hundred were gathering. He then heard a call for order.

"Get ready," he whispered. The whisper was passed back through the crowd. He cocked both barrels on his shotgun. A few moments later, Tikeze appeared and said, "Now."

Eric burst out into the meeting hall and raised his weapon at the entry. Two astonished guards in their finest leather gapped at him. His shotgun roared twice, throwing the men against the wall behind them, leaving a red spray on the wall behind them. Eric didn't see them fall, he spun and threw his shotgun at the closest seated man and drew his pistols.

Eric strode towards the figures standing on a raised platform in the center of the room, shooting. He downed the robed men first, then the gapping master of ceremonies in his polished gold and black armor. As the third one fell, he turned his guns on those sitting to either side of him as all hell broke loose behind him and on the other side where Tikeze was destroying the walls to bring the entryway down on the guards there. In the mass chaos, some men got up to face him, he shot them back down. Others got up, trying to take in what was happening. Concentrating on clearing his path, Eric strode quickly to the platform steps and up as he holstered one pistol, and put a full cylinder in the other. He switched cylinders on his second pistol as the men all around him began to jabber out cries of betrayal, and others for the violence to stop.

It didn't stop. His men were massed around the one entry, no one was getting out that way. Tikeze made a big enough mess of that other entry that knihgts nearby were running away to open the distance between them and falling stones. Picking the closest threats first, Eric worked both pistols, shooting knights between him and the destroyed second entryway.

After Eric shot ten more men, it was beginning to dawn on them he wasn't going to stop. Dressed in their formal wear, all they had with them were their swords. Eric reloaded again to the sound of a mass of swords being drawn.

One Knight raised his sword and yelled, "Knights, die with honor!"

Eric shot him. He then shot knights as they ran up the steps. He spun to shoot one climbing up, but the knight's head twisted around and he was thrown onto another attempting to climb up. Eric shot a path off the platform then ran and jumped, emptying his last two bullets into knights to either side of him.

Eric backed away through the bodies as knights ran at him. Tikeze killed or threw them to the sides. Eric got his third round of cylinders loaded, and again worked his pistols as fast and accurately as possible, downing another twelve knights.

Someone called for a re-group. The large pack of knights backed off, and formed themselves into ranks on the other side of the room, allowing Eric to reload his fourth set of cylinders. They set themselves for a charge.

Having the space to do so, Eric now took time aiming, and kept downing knights, one by one. They screamed out and charged. Tikeze appeared beside Eric in full demon form as the group stumbled over their dead. Tikeze shot a hand out at them. Lightning flew from her hand to crackle into several Knights, causing them to jerk with spasms as they fell. Eric had plenty of time to load his last set of cylinders.

Only eight knights were left in front of him, another six were getting ready to charge Eric's men who were blocking the entry. One Knight threw his sword down, and his arms up in the air. "Eric, for the love of Takasis, STOP! Why are you doing this!" he cried, his face twisted in pain at the slaughter of his fellows.

Eric leveled his pistol on the man, for the first time, truly seeing a face. It was Sir Ralstat. Eric held his voice in a deadpan tone. "When I come to your house, I respect your household. Do I not?"

"Yes, you are a wonderful guest. That's why I don't understand this!" Sir Ralstat cried.

"Then why is it, when Black Knights come to MY city, they treat my people terribly and keep them as nothing but slaves?" Eric asked in a heavy tone.

"You ... Your city?"

"I am the Founder, and you have abused my people. For that, you shall all pay with your lives." Eric told him.

Sir Ralstat's jaw dropped. "We didn't know!" he cried. "Please Eric, let us go tell others so this will not happen again! We will spread the word, we will ensure no one comes to your city with anything but good will and intentions!"

Eric took a long pause, scanning over the faces of the other men who watched him with the blank stares of men who knew they were gong to die. "Sir Ralstat, I know your word is good. What about these other men?"

Sir Ralstat turned to the few remaining knights. "I have traded with this man. His word is good and before today, he has been a good friend and has been very generous in his dealings with me. If we have done him a grave injustice then he has the right to retribution. Will you join me in correcting a wrong against one who stands with us?"

One by one, the knights sheathed their swords and gave a stiff nod. As they did, Sir Ralstat breathed a sigh of relief.

Eric waved Palan over to him. The man came over, grinning broadly.

"Wipe that grin off your face," Eric said in a hard tone. "I want two men to escort each of these men. They are to collect their their belongings and leave. As long as they do not harm anyone, they are not to be harmed. Anyone who disobeys will answer to me." Leaning close, he added in a whisper, "And they will go and tell everyone never to bother this city again."

"Yes, Eric, it will be as you say," Palan said, and ran over to get his men.

Eric waited as the knights were given their escorts, then he led the procession out of the entry past Palan's men. He had Palan follow with his men, leaving four guards at the door of his house.

The inner city resistance collapsed quickly with the Black Knights telling their remaining men to surrender. Walking down the street, Eric was pleased his men had done well, most of the Knight's soldiers were dead or tied up. Eric allowed the Knights to form their surviving men in ranks, get their families, and the bodies together, then marched them out into the city with him leading the procession.

People stared in disbelief as they passed. The outer gates were opened, the current guards came down from the walls and fell into line as Eric's men took up their posts. Once the exchange was finished, Eric got up on a mid-stair platform and watched the Black Knights leave with their men, followed by a long line of wives and children, their carriages loaded down with everything they could carry. After he last of the long line of carts left the city, Eric turned to the crowds staring up at him.

In the loudest voice he could summon, Eric called out, "People of Gateway! As founder of this city, I have removed the Black Knights from here. They will no longer be a threat, nor will anyone persecute you. This city once again belongs to the people who live here. ANYONE who claims differently, will answer to ME!"

The crowds erupted into a thunderous roar.

Eric then set about the business of rebuilding the city's government and appointing officials to keep things running.

.

Tanthalas was having a wonderful time escorting Lady Jackson. Although she maintained her stance that she couldn't be his mother, some prodding at Eldarin made the man admit that she was.

There were too many coincidences. Her description of Eric's log house he told her about, matched Eldarins'. Although Abby thought she had a nightmares about hobgoblins attacking, Eldarin told him how it actually happened. It was clear Abby's memory was spotted, Tanthalas had no doubt about her identity.

The one needed to confirm it was Eric. Eric was in Gateway, and had sent Sir Mondar a stern warning not to interfere. Although Sir Mondar kept quiet about what this warning was, it was obvious it was something that had scared the wits out of him. Sir Mondar would not let anyone approach Gateway, not even a scouting party.

The only news was a patrol that came in that found Sir Mondar's spy. The man had been hit in the back with an arrow, and was all but dead from blood loss. He was rushed to the healers, hoping they could at least keep him alive to find out what was going on.

At the healers, Tanthalas was on edge as he waited impatiently with Abby who was also eager for news. Tanthalas let Abby take the only seat in the hallway as women rushed into the man's room with jars and cloths.

"Lord Tanthalas, does this mean something happened to Eric?" Abby asked meekly as she gripped her hands together on her lap.

Squatting down beside her, Tanthalas put a hand over hers. "Call me Tanis, please Mother. I'm sure whatever he has to say is important. We won't know until he comes around and is able to speak. Don't assume it is bad news."

Abby offered him a weak smile. "I wish I had your confidence, Tanis," she said.

"From everything I've heard, Eric doesn't go down easy, and refuses to stay down," he assured her.

The clomping of boots approached. Tanthalas rose as Sir Reginald came striding up to them.

"Lord Tanthalas, Lady Jackson, Sir Reginald greeted with a bow. "How is our man?"

"The healers are doing their best tending to him," Tanthalas explained. "You'll know when we know."

Sir Reginald nodded and said, "He had no scroll or letters on him. Whatever it is, the message was verbal only. We need to get him awake."

"They are doing their best," Tanthalas reinforced. "Does Sir Mondar have an idea what his message might have been?"

"We will not speculate. There is too much at risk," Sir Reginald said firmly. "Lord Tanthalas, I have also been informed that General Wern is close by, she should be arriving tomorrow. I sent word to her camp about our readiness, and the fact we really don't know what's happening in Gateway."

"Thank you, Sir Reginald," Tanthalas told him. To Abby he said, "Generan Wern is my wife, Laurana."

Abby remembered in her confusion when she first saw Eric, she'd though he was Tanis and she was Laurana. Here, she was finding out the truth, and hopefully Princess Laurana could help. Instead of telling Tani all these things, she settled in saying, "Yes, the Golden General, I've heard much about her. It will be a pleasure to meet her."

.

As before, Eric split the city into districts. He charged Palan with being the first Head councilman, and set him to the task of appointing a councilman from each district to represent their district. From having Tikeze search them out, he found the original stone documents describing how the city was to be run, which saved him from having to dictate them all over again, and had them set up in the meeting hall, which was now the City Council hall.

The first official meeting of the city council wasn't the smoothest meeting Eric ever attended, but he did get his points across and found out some valuable information.

Many of the Black Knight's soldiers had slunk away from their officers to get rid of their uniforms, and joined the ranks of Gateway's new army. Citizens of the city, they quickly turned sides once they discovered the Founder had returned. General Gregor and General Hanson were pleased with the massive recruits who were already trained. With the weapons they had confiscated, the men were armed, and ready to fight for their city.

The store houses were full, except the one Eric had a tunnel made to. There were enough supplies to last through a long siege that obviously the Black Knights had been expecting. Even if they had a poor harvest, the city was set for the winter.

It took Eric some doing to explain to the city council that they would be making laws, not him. The city finances were initially stocked with the Black Knight's treasures. Eric spend a good part of the meeting explaining how to run the city, even with the stone tables there for all to see. Just as he was sure they were finally understanding about how to make and enforce laws, and elections, a guard burst in with a shout of "DRAGONS!"

As the council gapped at him, Eric ran for the door. Bursting outside, he ran into the middle of the street and searched the sky. He did see a dragon flying high overhead. It was light colored, and was making large circles in the sky above.

"Shall we get ready to repel them, M'Lord?" General Gregor asked breathlessly.

Eric saw another dragon making a wider circle. "Not yet, and don't call me Lord. Name's Eric. Go tell your men to be ready, but do nothing unless those dragons do first."

"Yes ... Eric. But if they DO attack, how do we fight them?"

"Bows, but like I said, do nothing unless they do first," Eric stressed. He wasn't sure if a pistol would be effective against dragons, and he really didn't want to find out. "Tikeze!" he barked.

Tikeze appeared beside him. She looked up and smiled. "Ohh, playtime?" she asked eagerly.

Eric pointed up. "Cant you get up there?"

"No problem, but if I kill it, it will fall on the city."

Eric frowned at her. "I didn't say anything about killing it. Go up there and find out what they're doing, then come right back." Eric instructed. "And NO killing or hurting them."

"You're no fun," Tikeze grumbled and disappeared.

.

Hearing how Sir Mondar didn't know the status of Gateway, Laurana wanted to find out for herself what was happening in the city. Flying off on one of the four dragons, she led her squad high to scout the area, they slowly close on the city below. Looking down as she circled the city, she saw activity, but no masses of men. She went lower and many people ran inside. There was hardly anyone on the streets, and no indication of massed forces.

"What are you doing here?" a female voice asked from directly behind her.

Gasping in surprise, Laurana turned, nearly falling out of her saddle. "Wha... who are you, how did you get here?" she asked, shocked at seeing the black haired woman.

The woman sighed, and said impatiently, "I didn't come to harm you. Just tell me what you're doing here."

"Scouting for Black Knights. Who sent you? Are you with the Black Knights?" Laurana asked.

"No," the woman said and vanished.

Laurana snapped her head around the other way, searching for the woman. She was gone. Who was that? The sudden appearance of the woman got Laurana nervous. It had to be a wizard. That didn't make sense, because wizards spoke their spells. That woman just vanished. Laurana turned her dragon and headed for the dragon closest to her. Until they knew more of what they were dealing with, it obviously wasn't safe over Gateway.

"I hate this," the woman said from behind Laurana.

Laurana turned again to see he woman right behind her. "Who are you?" she asked in a strained voice.

As if reciting her words, the woman let out a huff and said, "As long as you don't try to harm anyone in the city, no one will harm you. The Black Knights are gone, Gateway is free of them. If you'd like to land and verify it, Master is waiting in the inner city. I'll show you where if you want."

"Who's your Master?" Laurana asked the strange woman.

The woman frowned at her. "My Master, I already told you. Do you want to land or not?" she asked in an irritated tone.

"What happens if I don't?" Laurana asked, thinking this woman might take her hostage.

"Then I guess you fly away. Are you landing?"

Landing into possible enemy territory by herself was not a good idea. "No," Laurana stated.

"Fine then," the woman said, and disappeared again.

.

Eric watched as the dragons turned and flew northwest. Tikeze appeared beside him.

"She doesn't want to come down here," Tikeze told him.

"Who was it?" Eric asked as he watched them go.

"That Golden General, Lauranthalansa Wern."

"That means their army is most likely nearby," Eric mussed. "We got things to do, and a short time to do them in." Seeing Palan, and members of the council peeking out from the doorway to the meeting hall, Eric walked towards them.

Eric got the nervous looking council back together. Once they were all here, he announced, "Those dragons were looking for Black Knights, so there is nothing to worry about. I imagine there is an army close by looking for them too. When they come, be decent to them, let them look around, but make sure they know who's in charge here, Head Councilman Palan." he said firmly. Facing the Head Councilman, he said, "You should probably have your council go assure the people that those dragons mean us no harm. I'm sure there are a lot of worried people out there."

Palan nodded. "Yes, we'll do that at once," he agreed, and disbursed the council to go inform the populace. He then asked Eric, "What do we do next?"

Eric shrugged. "You're the Head Councilman, not me. Think about what needs to be done, and do it."

"But, you're our Lord now," Palan said as he gave Eric a questioning look. "Aren't you going to oversee the city?"

"That's your job now, and whoever the next Head Councilman is going to be. I just came to get rid of the Black Knights," Eric explained. "I got other things to take care of. Besides, Tikeze here is a bit unpredictable. I'd feel better getting her out of the city as soon as possible."

Surprised at hearing this news, Palan asked, "But, what if we need you?"

"I'll be checking back," Eric assured him. Eric then stopped short as if forgetting something. "I need to write a note, can I borrow your scribe?"

.

Having that strange woman just appear on her dragon, then disappear, got Laurana nervous. Getting her squad together, she had two riders head ban for their camp while she and the third flew to Castle Mondar.

Circling a couple times to let them see her, Laurana came down in the inner courtyard. Upon landing several people came out of a building to the side as a few knights came out of the manor. She recognized Sir Mondar, and noted Tanis had a woman with him as he approached. The elf woman beamed her a smile, but hung back as Tanis met her.

Laurana greeted Tanis with a hug. With a small crowd gathering around her, she offered all the greetings, then said, "We just over-flew Gateway."

"Did they see you?" Sir Mondar asked nervously.

"Apparently. This black haired human woman, I think she was, appeared right behind my saddle and asked what I was doing there," Laurana told him.

"Black hair, dark eyes, and hors on her head?" Sir Mondar asked.

Laurana eyed him. "I didn't see any horns, but yes, she had very dark eyes and long black hair. She asked what I was doing. I told her I was scouting. I asked if she was with the black knights. She said 'no', then disappeared'. She came back a moment later to tell me the black knights were gone, and I could land to verify it if I wanted. She offered to lead me down. I declined, and she left."

"They're gone?" Tanthalas asked.

"That's what she said. She also told me as long as no one tried to harm them, they won't harm anyone."

"Did you see Eric?" the elf woman asked.

"I didn't see anyone else," Laurana explained to the woman. Shifting her gaze to Tanis she said, "I didn't see any buildup of forces either. On the way here, I flew over an empty fort. It looks like the black knights left."

"I can't believe they'd run from a fight," Sir Mondar said absently.

"They probably ran from Eric," Abby stated, which got everyone to look at her. Seeing their questioning looks she shrugged and added, "It's possible."

"Highly unlikely," Sir Reginald intoned.

"We need to see what's going on there on the ground," Tanthalas stated.

"I'm going too," Abby announced.

"Lady Jackson, you should stay here where it's safe," Sir Mondar stated. "We can't discount the possibility they may be headed here."

Abby moved in front of Laurana, and asked, "Could you take me on your dragon?"

"That is not wise, and there is only one saddle," Laurana told her.

Putting a hand on Abby's shoulder, Tanthalas said, "We'll get you there, let us go in first. If Eric won't come to you, we'll get you to him. OK, Mother?"

Abby let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll collect my things and wait."

.

Eric made sure he had everything. Tikeze's talisman, the few things off his horse, his clothes and traveling gear, and the twenty pounds of gold he had Tikeze retrieve from his wagon. Down in his now ex-command post, he stood with Tikeze beside him.

"Ready? I'm not entirely sure this is going to work," he told her.

Tikeze frowned at him. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, "Don't even tell me you're going to do something dangerous. If you die, I'm screwed."

Eric chuckled. "It's not for me, but I don't know if you'll go through."

"Where are we going?"

"My house in Chicago."

"Ohh," Tikeze cooed, "You have another city?" she asked with a grin.

"It's not mine. I just live there."

"Then why not live here, where you own the city?"

Eric thought about explaining then decided it was best not to. "It's complicated," he said simply. He grabbed Tikeze's hand, closed his eyes and thought hard about the living room of his house. He could see it clearly, the stuffed sofa, the painted walls, wood frame doorways and the scrolled plaster ceiling.

Feeling a tingle, Eric opened his eyes to find himself in his living room. Tikeze was still right beside him. The only difference now was that she was naked. Right, magic didn't work here.

Looking around Tikeze let out a snort. "Not bad, but it could be better." Looking down at herself, she frowned. "How ... why can't I make any clothes?"

"There's no magic here. Guess I'll have to buy you some clothes," Eric said with a crooked grin. "That also means your powers won't work, so you better get used to doing things by hand."

Tikeze cast him a shocked look. "You're _serious_!" she cried.

Eric took in her voluptuous form and said, "I am, and I'm gonna love my new maid."

...

Tanthalas rode into the fort, empty of all but the few scouts who had come. The guards and the garrison they had expected to find, were not here. No one was here. This was the second fort they had found that was abandoned.

Tanthalas and the cavalry continued their search. No enemy forces were found anywhere on their approach to Gateway. In a couple days, the army caught up to them. Tanthalas, Sir Mondar, and now Laurana with her army and four silver dragons planned the siege of Gateway. The combined army approached the city that seemed to have no outer defenses at all.

Laurana stood beside Tanthalas in her chain mail tunic and leather skirt that bore wide strips of steel, her golden hair flowing down from under her helmet to cascade down her back as they looked out at Gateway.

Tanthalas noted aloud, "We've searched, and found no one in their forts, no patrols, not a single knight or even a soldier. The only resistance we met so far was one farmer who yelled at us to get out of his field."

"They couldn't have just vanished," Sir Mondar stated. Hand in his chin, he mussed, "This is odd. We need to proceed carefully. We'll set camp tonight and go to the city in the morning."

.

Morning brought a visitor. Sir Mondar and Tanthalas met with the man in Sir Mondar's tent, ensuring he got a good look a the ranks of Knights and soldiers prepared for battle. The man that was escorted into the tent looked to be a normal civilian. No weapons or armor and wearing a worn, but decent set of clothes.

"Who are you?" Sir Mondar asked.

The man bowed to him. "Sir Knight, I am Palan Gardner, Head Councilman for the City of Gateway. I have come to ask why you are surrounding our city."

"We've come to defeat the Black Knights. I am surprised they are so cowardly to send a peasant out to speak with us."

Palan shrugged and said, "You are too late to find any Black Knights here, sir. The Founder, Eric Carvon, kicked them out of the city nearly two weeks ago. I was there. He killed most of them, and made the rest pack up and leave."

Eyeing him, Sir Mondar said, "That is very hard to believe."

"Then come see for yourself," Palan said. Raising a finger in caution, he added, "But do respect our city, and cause no trouble. I've seen what Eric does to people who cause trouble. It's not a pretty sight."

Tanthalas laughed. "So, Gateway is a free city now?"

"Yes, sir," Palan said, then to Sir Mondar, he said, "Harvest will be coming soon, and many of your soldiers are trampling our crops. I would ask you to make them stop. There is no reason for such rude behavior."

"Sir Mondar, I will accompany Mr. Gardner back into the city and verify what he is saying, with your permission," Tanthalas said.

"And if it's a trap?" Sir Mondar asked.

"Then you will loose only one man. I'm thinking it's not," Tanthalas told him.

Sir Mondar grumbled and said, "Take some cavalry with you."

Tanthalas nodded, and left with Palan.

.

Tanthalas rode beside Palan with a troop of cavalry in their wake. Coming up to the gates, they passed men in a mix of uniforms that asked Palan is everything was all right. He assured them it was.

"Hey! Head Councilman!" a man yelled as he ran up to them.

"Mr. Enrich, what can I do for you?" Palan asked.

Jabbing an arm at the cavalry, the man said, "You either tell Eric about those men stomping all over our crops, or I will! We just got rid of assholes like that, we don't need another bunch around here!"

"I was on my way to do that very thing. You complain will be heard within the hour," Palan assured him.

Tantahlas tried to hide his smirk. They rode on. Not only Palan was accosted by people telling him to do something about 'those men out there', but others told Tanthalas and a few cavalrymen to "Watch themselves", or Eric would kill them too.

By the time they got to the inner city, Tanthalas was well aware of the dangers of causing trouble. Palan led them inti the inner city to meet a man who bore a sword and was watching a troop of mismatched solders running through drills.

"General Gregor!" Palan called as he angled towards them. Riding up to them he motioned to Tanthalas and said, "General Gregor, this is Lord Tanthalas. He has come to see that there are indeed no black knights here in Gateway."

General Gregor offered them a nod. "That's fine, Head Councilman, so long as they don't make trouble."

"We have no plans to," Tanthalas assured him. "Would it be possible to see Eric Carvon?"

"His house is this way," Palan said, and led the way.

They rode to the Council building. Tanthlas left his troop outside and told them to stand at ease. Following Palan in, he noted the gapping hole above the one entryway. "Still working on finishing the building?" he asked.

"Battle damage," Palan explained as the walked. "In this room Eric and his demon killed all but a few of the black knights. Smart move, he waited until they had this big meeting, then we all rushed out. We blocked the exists, and Eric and his demon did the rest. They left a few alive to go warn other to leave our city alone. We followed them out to watch them pack their things, they escorted them out the gate."

There were still blood spots all over the floor to bear silent witness to what Palan was saying. Tanthalas noted a few stones set up by a platform. Stopping to look at them, Tanthalas saw they were rules on running the city.

"Head Councilman! This Lady says Eric's her husband," a man called as he came in.

Tanthalas turned to see his mother running towards them. She only glanced about, then headed for a wooden door in the back wall. "Where's Eric?"

Palan studied her for a moment then asked, "Are you Abby?"

Abby nodded. Pointing to the door, she said, "Our house should be there."

"Ah," Palan said in understanding. "Yes, Eric's dwelling is in there."

Abby walked to the door. The man with her followed, casting Palan a worried look. Tanthalas and Palan followed them. Abby walked up and swung the door open. Upon entering, she gasped and stopped. Standing on the newly cleaned floor, she studied the room and let out a short sob.

"This is it!" she called as she turned to Tanthalas who was coming in. "This is our house!"

Pointing to a door, she said, "This was my room when I first came here, at the end there is Eric's room. The crossbow hung over the fireplace right there!" Excitement lit her face as she went on. "The kitchen is through there. The furniture is gone, but the stuffed couch was there, in front of the fireplace. The table was here, Eldarin slept in that room. This is our house!"

Unfortunately, the house was vacant except for those who'd just came in. As Abby ran to the back calling for Eric, Tanthalas noticed a piece of paper folded in half so it sat up on the mantle. "Tanthalas' was written on the side he could see.

Walking over, Tanthalas picked up the paper and read what was inside the fold.

_If you are here, I am sure Abby is too. Don't listen to anything she says, she's not right in the head. I took a little gold I need from the wagon, the rest of it belongs to Abby. I figure she's got a right to live decent for a change. I know I've no right to ask anything of you, but someone has to watch out for Abby. I hope you'll see it's the only decent thing to do. _

Tanthalas read the few lines again. It hit him that Eric didn't know. Eric didn't know that Abby was Elanza, he didn't know Eldarin had spilled everything. He had left, not knowing he was no longer hated. "No," he said in a hoarse voice. "Palan, where did Eric go?"

Plan shrugged. "He said he had something important to do, and took the demon in the house with him. No one's gone through the tunnel, we thought he was still in the house."

Abby came back out, looking lost. "Where's Eric?" she asked.

Tanthalas gazed at his mother. "He's gone," he said vacantly. He had no doubts now that this was his mother, Elanza. Something Eric hadn't known. Having no proof, he'd thought she was crazy.

"Already?" Abby said with a frown. "He could of at LEAST said goodbye!"

"He didn't know, I'm sorry," Tanthalas said weakly.

Straightening herself up, Abby looked around and said, "Well, I have a year to go see how elves live, and get this house straightened up before he gets back."

"He's coming back?"

Abby nodded. "Eric told me he'd be back in a year. Too bad he didn't leave me any money," she said, not sounding happy.

Tanthalas cleared his throat and said, "Mother, he left you that whole wagon full of gold."

Abby scowled at Tanis. "Then what was all that trading and running around we did if he's not going to take any of it? Just what am I suppose to do with seven hundred pounds of gold!"

Palan gasped.

Tanthalas shrugged and said, "Maybe live like the princess you are. Laurana and I can take you to Qualinesti after you set settled here."

"What did he trade to get that much gold?" Palan asked.

"Steel. And from what I've heard, he'll come back next year and do it again. And this time, we'll be waiting for him to show up," Tanthalas said firmly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Side notes :**

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of interest in this story and no reviews, so I'm canceling plans of making a follow on story unless there are people out there who want to see another one.

If I do it, the next story will have alot more action as well as continuing the plot - and you'll find out why Eric had been hoarding all that gold.


End file.
